The Springfield Sister Cities Association will present the 30th annual Japanese Fall Festival Sept. 11-13 at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park.
The festival will include music, workshops, demonstrations and food vendors. This year’s headlining performers are championship yosakoi dance group Uzumaru.
Lisa Bakerink, who has been executive director of the Springfield Sister Cities Association for eight years, explained how the event grew out of international cooperation with Springfield’s Japanese sister city, Isesaki.
“We hold this event to celebrate Japanese culture in our beautiful Japanese garden here in Springfield,” Bakerink said. “Of course, our sister city’s Isesaki delegates always come and take a part in our event.”
Springfield’s sister city program began about 40 years ago, with Tours, France, as the city’s first sister city. The relationship with Isesaki followed soon after and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
Springfield Sister Cities also sends a musician ambassador to Isesaki for its festival each year.
“In fact, our delegation leaves on Sept. 18,” Bakerink said. “So the trip follows on the heels of the Fall Festival.”
This year, Springfield is sending Grupo Canela, a group from its other sister city, Tlaquepaque, Mexico, to perform in Isesaki as part of the 40th anniversary celebration.
Bakerink explained why Springfield Sister Cities continues to foster these international connections.
“At the end of the day, we exist to provide opportunities for international people to become friends,” Bakerink said. “And that's very rewarding to see that people are connected and peaceful together. And that's our goal. Peace through people.”
For more information, visit peacethroughpeople.org.
