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If you dig Japanese culture but can’t swing the ticket to Tokyo, then spare yourself the typhoons, earthquakes, and Godzilla attacks and drop by the 27th annual Matsuri Festival. Follow the thunder of taiko drums to the delicious yakisoba, grab a snow cone (with ice cream in the bottom), and wend your way through Japanese arts, crafts, and merchandise stalls en route to demonstrations of martial arts, archery, swordplay, and traditional dance.
Joining the scores of taiko drums rocking the festival will be punk-tinged J-pop band Toybox and anime cover band Kitsune Robot, the latter performing songs from Bleach, Cowboy Bebop, Naruto and other anime fan favorites. Together, they might just erase the memory of the daily karaoke contests.
Bring your Audubon Cosplayers Field Guide to Heritage and Science Park. The Yo Matsuri Night Festival and Asahi beer garden will stay open until 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Sat., Feb. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 2011
