Bon Fest 2023

Bon Fest returns to the Garden of the Phoenix in Chicago on Saturday August 12, 2023. This festival is produced by the Japanese Arts Foundation in collaboration with AIRMW.

This festival is something of a celebration of the Obon season. Obon or just Bon is a fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. Similar to Day of the Dead, it is treated as a celebration in addition to customs held by individuals and their families. Each city, community, and neighborhood has their own Bon Festival which incorporates their regional food vendors, attire, games, dances, and flair.

Time TBA