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Here’s a highlight video from Japan Parade and Street Fair 2023
OVERVIEW
Japan Day @ Central Park was founded in 2007. This event was held every May in Central Park until 2019, to celebrate and promote the U.S.-Japan friendship, express gratitude to NYC, and to strengthen the solidarity of the Japanese-American community. The event was reborn in 2022 as the Japan Parade & Street Fair, and was a fantastic success. The second Japan Parade & Street Fair was held on May 13th, 2023. In the parade we featured one-of-a-kind performances from units representing all kinds of Japanese culture, as well as street food and activities at the street fair. We are thrilled to have Japan Parade & Street Fair be a part of NYC’s many celebrations of culture and heritage, especially during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and as a part of the greater New York City community.
THANK YOU!
Celebrating Japan here in New York City, and seeing so many of you supporting Japanese cultures, food, arts, manga, and all, was such a heartwarming moment for us. We love this city as much as you do and the diversity of this city is one of the many reasons. We’d like to extend our gratitude to our Japan Parade & Street Fair 2023 official sponsors for their contributions, to Kristi Yamaguchi for joining us in celebrating Japan as the 2nd annual grand marshal, and to the representatives of New York, including Mayor Eric Adams, who supported us as well.
JAPAN PARADE 2023 GRAND MARSHAL:
KRISTI YAMAGUCHI
Kristi Yamaguchi captured the gold medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France in figure skating. She is also a 2-timeWorld champion and U.S. National Champion. Kristi is a member of the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the US Olympic Hall of Fame. She recently received the USOPC’s Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award for “serving as a powerful force for good in society” as well as the 2019 Heisman Humanitarian Award for the work of her Always Dream organization. Following along and successful career in professional figure skating including 10 years of touring with Stars On Ice, Kristi took to the dance floor to win the mirror ball trophy with partner Mark Ballas in season 6 of the popular TV show “Dancing With The Stars.”
In 1996, she founded Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream whose mission is to give children from low income families access to high quality books in the home environment. Aiming to close the opportunity gap and digital divide with an innovative, family engagement literacy program.Www.alwaysdream.org . In 2012, Kristi added New York Times Best-Selling author to her list of achievements by introducing her first children’s picture book, “Dream Big, Little Pig!”, and then following up with “It’s A Big World, Little Pig!”and a third title “Cara’s Kindness”. Kristi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, 2-time US Olympian and Stanley Cup Champion, Bret Hedican, and their daughters Keara and Emma.
JAPAN PARADE (Saturday, May 13, 2023)
Opening Ceremony starts at 12:30 p.m.
Location: Central Park West between 70th street and 71st street (Grandstand Area).
Japan Parade starts at 1:00 p.m.
Route: Central Park West from 81st street to 67th street
JAPAN STREET FAIR (Saturday, May 13, 2023)
Japan Street Fair is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: West 72nd street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
*THERE WILL NOT BE A FESTIVAL OF ANY SORT AT CENTRAL PARK
