Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 S. Central St. in Little Tokyo, will hold its annual Arigato Bazaar on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a Bazaar After Party from 6 to 9 p.m.
The bazaar offers a wide variety of foods, entertainment and fun activities for kids, a silent auction, and raffle drawings, as well as all the opportunity to meet up with old friends, make new friends, and enjoy the spirit of the day.
Tickets for the “early bird” opportunity drawing for a cash prize must be turned in by 10 a.m. on the day of the event in order to be eligible. Contact the church for details.
This is Centenary’s fourth year of incorporating a public ondo into the event, drawing people from all over the greater Los Angeles area. Dancing starts at 4 p.m., after a traditional taiko performance. Centenary is the only Christian church to have an organized dance group that travels to various Obon festivals in the summer as a show of solidarity in supporting culture and community.
The Bazaar After Party will feature a performance by the rock band Lolita Dark with Shibuya-born singer/songwriter Rayko. With roots in Japan and Southern California, Lolita Dark has been wowing crowds since 2011 and producing albums since 2012. Their song “Wounded Angel” was the official song for Anime California 2014.
The party will include other local bands, an anime cosplay contest, a “wild” public ondo, food, games and contests.
For more information, call (213) 617-9097 or email office@centenarylt.org.