A Festival Connecting the Hearts of Citizens through the Participation of Citizens

～Thanks so much for attending and participating!～

On August 16, the 21st annual Ayumi Festival was held in Ayumizaki Park (Saka, Kasumigaura City) which carried the theme of “A Festival Connecting the Hearts of Citizens through the Participation of Citizens,” beckoning out 35,000 lively festival goers.

Center Stage

Ayumi Festival Opening Ceremony (Introduction from the committee chairman)	After the opening ceremony, tossing the lucky ball.	Those who managed to snag one of only 60 of the balls received a special prize!
Karate demonstration (Ashihara Kaikan ? Ibaraki branch ? boys group)	Wind instrument ensemble live performance (Kasumigaura City Minami Private Middle School)	Orienteering - Start! (KSC Enjoy Sports Club)
Struck out (KSC Enjoy Sports Club)	YOSAKOI Soran (traditional folk songs) (Kasumigaura City Shinji Private Elementary School)	YOSAKOI Soran (traditional folk songs) (KSC Friendly Sports Club)
YOSAKOI Soran (traditional folk songs) (Ayumi Taiko)	Everyone moves off stage and into the open air pavilionto participate in YOSAKOI Soran	Children gather at the popular Character Show (Time and Space Warrior Ibaliger)
Ayumi Festival Raffle in cooperation with participating shops and organizations.	he stage lights up when those words, “and the winning number is . . .”are muttered at the raffle drawing loaded with fabulous prizes!	Kajima Antlers (Shikao-kun) and the Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament (Commerce and Industry Young Men’s Club ? high school student group)
Live band (ROA’S)	Folk song and dance (Trade and Commerce Women’s Association)	Folk song and dance (folk song kotokai ? fukubukai)
Taiko Drumming (Ayumi Taiko)	Traditional folk song show welcoming special guest Akemi Okawa

Open Air Event Pavilion

Every year’s big crowd drawing event, the wooden building raising ceremony. (Worker’s Union)	Chairman and Kasumigaura tourism ambassador assisting with the free distribution of tsukudani and other tasty treats. (Marine Products Union)	The kids cooperating during cleanup time.
Street performer clown: ZEN (in front of the Aquarium)	Traveling toy library ? Hyokko (Society Health and Wellness Meeting)	Playing in the pool!

Checking out the scene of all of the fantastic experiences to be had at the festival thanks to all of our participating groups!

Event Pavilion on the Lake

All 9 cloth sailboats gathered at the Ayumizai shore of Kasumigaura

Operating in top condition for both the afternoon and evening groups

Tons of riders flock to the registration area, and a lot of camera men!

Gathering for Bonodori -Fireworks on the Lake

Many parents, children and families get riled up for Bonodori, which always winds of being one of summer’s　best memories.
	Resounding cheers roar as individual “message fireworks” explode in grandeur for “Fireworks on the Lake,” an event made possible thanks to the cooperation of all of our many participants.

Ayumi Festival Supporters

(titles omitted, no particular order)

Fireworks Display Contributors / Message Fireworks Participants

Yamazaki Fireworks MFG Ltd., Taiyo Enterprise, Yamashichi, Dewaya, Kasumigaura City Trade and Commerce Association ? Young Men’s Club, Kasumigaura Construction Management Union, Tsuchiura and Kasumigaura Region Association Corp., Yoshiyama Industries, Ichimura Facility Industries, Naoi Construction Lumber Importers, Takano Manufacturing, Tatsumi Kogyo Realtors, Hatsutori Manufacturing, Yazaki Industrial, Okubo Construction, Matsuba Corp., Tsuru Sightseeing Buses, Senwa, Automobile Service Promotion Association ? Kasumigaura Branch, Idenuma Construction, Kayo Construction, Fuji OGM Golf Club, Kasumigaura OGM Golf Club, Traveling Toy Library ? Hyokko, Nana Auto Dealer, Soreyuke! Qoo Chanman, Kasumigaura City Liver Improvement Association, Ota, Mito DMS, Chiyoda Point Card Association, Ayumi Taiko, Association of Mothers for Traffic Safety, Furusato Dejima no Kai, Yuki ? Haru - Ari, Kasumigaura City Products Association, Chiyoda Fruit Tree Tourist Association, KSC Enjoy Sports Club, Kasumigaura Cloth Sailboat Festival Board of Directors, Ayumi An Steering Committee, Shishimai Preservation Association, Kurihara Strawberry Fields, Akemi Okawa, Ibaliger Production Committee, Kobayashi-kun’s mother ? Akiko Kobayashi, Kasuma no Cha-Chan Yori

Festival General Contributors

Kasumigaura City Trade and Commerce Association, Kasumigaura City Workers Union, Kasumigaura City Construction Association, Kasumigaura City Fisheries Industry Associative Union ? Daisen Branch, Tsuchiura Agriculture Cooperative Association, Kasumigaura Northern Bay Marine Products Co-op ? Kasumigaura Branch, Dewaya, Onuma Marine Products, Furusato Dejima no Kai, K & Y International, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd., Maruka, Onda, Kasumigaura Cloth Sailboat Festival Board of Directors, Enjyoji Auto Cycles, Saka Farm, City of Tsuchiura, City of Namegata, City of Kasama, Chiyoda Fruit Tree Tourist Association, Leisure Farm Association, Mitsutomo Health Management Center, Kaizuka Chuzaburo Shoten, Tone Coca-Cola Bottling ? Ibaraki Branch, Kashima Antlers, Mito DMS, Kimatsuka Electric Construction Specialists, Ishihara Ishimura, Society Health and Wellness Association

As chairman of the Ayumi Festival Planning Committee, I strive to bring myself closer to the citizens by working hard to create a festival packed full of exciting content, the kind of summer festival that will help us to proudly represent this wonderful city of Kasumigaura.? Please feel free to send along to us your opinions and wishes regarding the future of the Ayumi Festival.

Ｅ-mail　kankouka@city.kasumigaura.ibaraki.jp