Malott Japanese Garden Festival at Chicago Botanic Gardens is August 19-20 from 10am to 2pm.

Learn about the summer festivals (matsuri) celebrated in Japan during this special weekend of activities. Listen to taiko drum and koto harp music, enjoy traditional folktales, and watch a tea ceremony. Kids of all ages can make projects to celebrate summer — make fish prints (gyotaku), create a paper fan (uchiwa), design a kite, and more at family-friendly, hands-on stations.

  • 10:30 a.m. Tea ceremony demonstration by members of the Urasenke Chicago Association
  • 11:30 a.m. Traditional storytelling by Anne Shimojima
  • 12:30 p.m. Taiko drumming performance by Kokyo Taiko
  • 1:30 p.m. Koto harp performance by Chicago Koto Group