39th Annual Nihonmachi Street Fair

Founded in 1973, the Nihonmachi Street Fair was hatched as an idea to provide leadership and mentorship opportunities for the youth of J-Town and to honor the cultural heritage that was, at the time, at risk of being displaced. Since then the annual event has grown from a four-booth affair to a two-day event expected to draw over 30,000 guests in 2012.

What makes this street fair a uniquely San Francisco event is the broader cultural context participants can experience in addition to traditional Asian-Pacific influences. The Nihonmachi Street Fair organizers have a long history of including local entertainment that have spanned genres from Taiko to hip-hop to salsa, rock, and jazz.

The Nihonmachi Street Fair proudly evolves to reflect the city it celebrates while staying true to its original idea: to use this event as a platform to mentor Asian-Pacific American youth and foster their leadership and communication skills through volunteerism and community service. The event is produced, staffed, and organized by youth volunteers, thus providing practical, hands-on experience in collaboration, entrepreneurship, and problem solving.

The Nihonmachi Street Fair is proud of its history in serving the community through education, service, and youth mentorship. As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, the Nihonmachi Street Fair receives a grant from the San Francisco Grants for the Arts Program but must rely on income generated through advertising revenue and sponsorship to underwrite fees, expenses, and logistical costs associated with producing this annual community celebration.