Japan America Society of Vermont Presents Matsuri '05 on April 10.
March 30, 2005.

  The Japan America Society of Vermont (JASV) and St. Michaels College
are presenting Matsuri '05, a Festival of Japan, on Sunday, April 10,
from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Ross Sports Center, St. Michael's
College.

  Matsuri, the Japanese word for "festival", is a program of Japanese
cultural, educational, and fun events for all age groups. Resembling a
street fair, Matsuri '05 features booths and stalls, stage performances
and events, and offers refreshments and food. Richard Huestis, former
JASV president, describes Matsuri as "a connector to help people
understand Japanese culture," Huestis says. "It's a lot of fun."

  Over a dozen booths and tables will provide opportunities for festival
goers to get hands-on experience with Japanese arts and crafts.
Visitors can try on a kimono, participate in a tea ceremony, sample and
discuss haiku and tanka poetry, learn to write their own name in
katakana characters, fold a paper crane, produce a "rubbed fish"
painting. Or they can dance away the afternoon at a "dance dance
revolution" game booth highlighting Japanese pop culture. Local
artisans will be hosting displays of bonsai plants, flower
arrangements, pottery, and other crafts. Several book stores and shops
will be selling omiyage souvenirs.

  The Opening Ceremony will feature a shokkiri performance by Burlington
Taiko's Stuart Paton and opening remarks by The Consul General of Japan
in Boston Masuo Nishibayashi and St. Michael's College President Marc
A. vanderHeyden.

  The Matsuri Stage area features a broad assortment of entertainment,
including several martial arts demonstrations, a noodle eating contest,
dance, and koto music. New this year will be a shakuhachi flute
performance by David Budhill, a short Noh play by the Middlebury
Japanese Club, and performances by Suzuki violin students as well as
the Thatcher Brook Taiko students. The stage show wraps up with a
rousing performance by the Burlington Taiko drumming ensemble. JASV
board member Elin Melchior, who has two young children, is looking
forward to the Matsuri; "It's a family event with lots of hands-on
activities to interest everybody.  I'm especially looking forward to my
kids' faces when they hear the large taiko drums."

  A special raffle, benefitting the Charles Tenney Scholarship Fund,
awards special omiyage souvenirs several times every hour and a grand
prize of a round-trip ticket to Japan.

  Admission tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students and senior
citizens, preschoolers are free. More information about the Matsuri is
available at the JASV website, http://www.jasv.org/.

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About the Japan America Society of Vermont (JASV): The Japan America
Society of Vermont, Inc. (JASV) is a non-political, non-profit,
volunteer organization founded in 1983. The society seeks to improve
cross cultural understanding and mutually beneficial interaction among
Japanese and Vermont individuals, families, businesses and other
organizations. The society's website is at http://www.jasv.org/ . The
JASV and St. Michael's college presented the first Matsuri in 1985, and
have celebrated the festival bi-annually since then.

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Calendar entry: Matsuri 2005, a Festival of Japan, will occur on
Sunday, April 10, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at St. Michael's College, Ross
Sports Center. Presented by the Japan America Society of Vermont, the
Matsuri features performances of aikido, folk songs, tea ceremony,
flower arranging, dancing, kimono try-on, taiko drumming, zen archery,
food, and more. More information at http://www.jasv.org or email at
[log in to unmask]


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Contact: The Japan America Society of Vermont
29 Ethan Allen Avenue - Colchester, VT 05446 - U.S.A
telephone : 802-655-4197 - email : [log in to unmask]


Filed: March 31, 2005. 6:13 PM.