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Arizona Matsuri Fest cancels plans for in-person event, moves to virtual festival

Arizona Matsuri Fest announcement.jpg
Posted at 12:37 PM, Jan 10, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-10 23:02:42-05

PHOENIX — The 38th Arizona Matsuri Festival, a two-day fest that celebrates the culture of Japan, will be held virtually for the second consecutive year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 festival was also held virtually because of the pandemic. This year's festival was planned to be held in person on Feb. 26 & 27, 2022, at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.

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"Due to the current climate with COVID-19, and for the safety of all involved, the 2022 Arizona Matsuri will not be held in-person. To better serve the greater community, as in 2021, the Matsuri will be held VIRTUALLY," organizers said Monday in a statement.

"Get ready for an amazing display of authentic Japanese culture brought to you online by the Arizona Matsuri."

The virtual event will be held on Feb. 26 & 27 at 10 a.m. and will be hosted on the event's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/azmatsuri.

Programming and a schedule would be announced closer to the festival, but events are expected to include Japanese traditional and modern music, dancing, martial arts, and taiko (drum) performances, the release said.