Skip to main content

Flowers are officially in bloom at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. The tranquil park will be transformed to celebrate the first bud of spring at the 36th annual Hatsume Fair, which runs this Saturday and Sunday (April 18-19).

This year’s event will feature three live entertainment stages. On the Tokyo Stage, renowned taiko drumming groups Ronin Taiko and Fushu Daiko will perform. On Saturday, come dressed as your favorite anime or video game character and compete in the Costume Contest for prizes from Morikami, Tate’s Comics and the 3000 Brigade.

Over at the Osaka stage, martial arts experts will demonstrate a variety of ancient disciplines and showcase local students of all ages. Performances will be held every hour, on the hour, from noon to 4 p.m.

A new addition to the celebration is the Sake Stage. This savory exhibition includes a Sake 101 class with expert Midori Roth, sushi demonstrations with chef Roy Villacrusis, as well as panel discussions on the culinary arts. A free raffle will be held to win a private dinner at Chef Roy’s newest eatery in Jupiter, Nitrogen.

For the first time, the fair will feature a meet-and-greet with anime, comic book and Japanese pop culture characters. Kids can also make crafts, play Japanese games and sing karaoke. Food will be available from a number of Asian and American vendors. Adults can also indulge at the Kirin Beer Garden and Sake Station where they can try exclusive samplings of Japanese craft beer and sake from Echigo Brewery and Dewatsuru Sakura Emaki Rose.

Those interested in attending the entire festival can purchase two-day passes online in advance for $17 for adults and $11 for children 4-10. Single day passes cost $12 for adults, $6 for children 4-10. For more information or to purchase tickets visit morikami.org/hatsume or call 561/495-0233.