Virtual Bon

The garden hosted a Virtual Bon festival in 2021, with interviews about its importance, lessons in four of the dances, taiko drumming, and a virtual performance. 

https://japaneseculturecenter.com/event/bon-fest-chicago/

This description of a Bon festival comes from https://jpninfo.com/22986

"The Bon Odori is a traditional dance festival that is held in order to welcome back the spirits of the dead for the Obon holiday. Often they are held locally in one of the hundreds of little parks scattered around every Japanese city so each local group can practice the taiko rhythms and the dances and celebrate with their immediate neighbours. These smaller bon odori are usually held a little earlier than the bigger celebrations where the whole town comes together.... As it began to get dark a few men began playing the big Taiko drum and the music started to play. Within minutes, a ring of people formed around the stage and they began to dance. The steps looked pretty simple, moving around the circle back and forth and sometimes jumps and claps and I soon got the chance to find out for myself when one of the young guys who had been playing the Taiko drums, Junya, pulled me into the circle and showed me the steps too! Every time I’ve been to a Bon Odori festival everyone has been just as welcoming and happy for us to join in!"