
Family Festivals Past Events
Natsumatsuri Family Festival

FREE ALL DAY!
Join us for our annual summer celebration featuring Japanese and Japanese American performances, crafts, and activities.
…and so much more!
Check janm.org/natsumatsuri2016 for complete schedule.
Supported by Los Angeles County Arts Commission and The Bandai Foundation.
JANM Free Family Days: Handy Crafts

FREE ALL DAY
Inspired by Above the Fold, this Family Day will explore origami and other fun handmade crafts.
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:
11 a.m.–3 p.m.: Andantino String Duo
Relax and listen to classical and pop music by the Andantino string duo while you work on your craft projects.
3:30 p.m.: Decades of Rock
Join 2015 Nisei Week Court Princess Veronica Ota as she rocks out with her band, Decades of Rock. Enjoy their renditions of classic rock and R&B hits from the 1960s through today.
Sponsored by |
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JANM Free Family Days: Celebrating Family

FREE ALL DAY
In conjunction with the Mixed Remixed Festival, JANM presents a day of activities that explore the meaning of family.
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:
11 a.m.–3 p.m.: Name Art Souvenirs
Names often hold fun or important family stories. Let one of our artists make a souvenir artwork out of your family name or given name, which you can then take home.
11:30 a.m.: Reading by Maria Leonard Olsen
In collaboration with the Mixed Remixed Festival, JANM hosts author Maria Leonard Olsen, who will read from her book, Mommy, Why’s Your Skin So Brown? The book was written for her bi-racial children as a response to people’s confusion over her skin being darker than theirs.
1 p.m.: Reading by Katrina Goldsaito
In collaboration with the Mixed Remixed Festival, JANM hosts author Katrina Goldsaito, who will read from The Sound of Silence, her forthcoming book about a child’s experiences with the many sounds that can be heard in the bustling city of Tokyo.
2:15 p.m.: Luce Puppet Co. Presents The Wizard of Oz
Enjoy a puppet version of this classic story about a girl who finds herself in a faraway land and then comes home to learn the real meaning of family.
3 p.m.: Family Scrapbooking Workshop
It’s time to get going on that scrapbook of family memories! Bring your own family photographs or mementos and we’ll help you decorate a starter page.
Sponsored by |
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JANM Free Family Days: Fantastic Photography

FREE ALL DAY
Strike a pose, take a selfie, or snap a shot! This day is all about photography.
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:
11 a.m.–3 p.m.: Making Waves Photo Contest
With the images in Making Waves as inspiration, create your own abstract photos using materials that we will have available at the end of the exhibition. Visit our printing station to take home a copy of your best composition and enter it in our contest to win a special prize at the end of the day. Prize courtesy of Bandai.
12 p.m. and 2 p.m.: Photography 101
Bring your favorite picture-taking device (camera, phone, tablet) and learn the basics of photo composition from JANM’s knowledgeable volunteer photographers. Children only, maximum 10 kids per session, must be accompanied by an adult.
Sponsored by |
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NOTE: In addition to street closures in the area, there is a large event in Little Tokyo on the evening of May 14 which may impact parking availability throughout the day. We encourage visitors to the JANM Free Family Day to consider public transportation and/or allow additional time to locate parking.
JANM Free Family Days: Protect Our Planet

FREE ALL DAY
Join us for a day of fun activities to encourage everyone to “think green.”
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:
11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: From Trash to Trees with reDiscover
reDiscover Center, a nonprofit organization that promotes creative conservation through material reuse, presents an art activity for all ages. Using upcycled materials from households and industry, participants will craft tabletop models of the trees that dot our urban landscape. Each child or group will make a tree to add to a miniature forest, and then take home their creation at the end of the day.
11:30 a.m. / 2:30 p.m.: Bird Feeder Workshop
Make and decorate a bird feeder out of recycled milk cartons. Seeds will be provided. Limited to 20 children; must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up at the Survey Table.
1 p.m.: Art Workshop with My Papel Picado
My Papel Picado, a family organization dedicated to preserving the Mexican folk art of papel picado (cut paper), presents a fun and educational activity for children. Using recycled materials and brightly colored tissue paper, create your own decorative papel picado. Limited to 20 children; must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up at the Survey Table.
3:30 p.m.: Eco-Friendly Tunes and Stories with Claire Mills
Children’s entertainment specialist Claire Mills will present her unique, interactive mix of music and storytelling, with a thematic focus on the sun and its power.
Sponsored by |
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JANM Free Family Days: Making Music

FREE ALL DAY
Celebrate the joy of music with us, as we present a variety of musical performances and music-themed crafts and activities for the whole family.
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:
SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES:
11:30 a.m.–12 p.m.: Children’s Tunes
Michal “Peanut” Karmi performs original children’s tunes like “Ooey Gooey Mud” and “Six Little Pickles” on her ukulele.
12:15 p.m.–1 p.m.: Drum Circle
Visitors of all ages are invited to join an invigorating drum circle led by Drumtime.
1:15 p.m.–2 p.m.: Story Time with Violin
Enjoy a reading of Chieri Uegaki’s delightful children’s book, Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, with musical accompaniment by violinist Megan Shung Smith. A solo performance by Smith will follow. The book is available for purchase at the JANM Store and janmstore.com.
2 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: UniverSOUL Hip Hop
UniverSOUL Hip Hop, a community-based K–12 cultural education group, will conduct an interactive deejaying and dancing demonstration.
2:45 p.m.–3:15 p.m.: Mariachi Music
Listen to traditional mariachi sounds with a modern twist from Grupo Bella, an all-female mariachi band from Los Angeles.
3:30 p.m.–3:45 p.m.: Taiko Drumming
USC Kazan Taiko, the collegiate taiko drumming ensemble of the University of Southern California, brings the day to an end with a dynamic performance.
Supported by |
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