Tofu Festival
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Tofu Festival is a weekend matsuri held in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, every August. Tofu Festival's 2006 anniversary will be held on August 12th and 13th along with Nisei Week.
Invented by several LTSC board members as an idea for a food festival, Tofu Fest was approved by the LTSC in 1995 and added as a subcommittee to the Nisei Week Foundation, with support from the JACCC and sponsorship from Hinochi (now House Foods). Tofu Fest became the first festival in honor of tofu worldwide in 1996.[link] All proceeds go to the LTSC [link].
Tofu is the primary ingredient of dishes and the cultural icon of the festival, which focuses on innovative Japanese and American cuisine within an obon like atmosphere [link]. Tofu Fest also features a large array of sake and beer [link], supplementing Little Tokyo's own beer gardens and Nisei Week's attractions.
Due to Tofu Fest's wider cultural and commercial appeal, along larger funds to work with (Tofu Fest charges admission into its area), it has outgrown Nisei Week's Street Arts fair in booths -- Tofu Fest's first fair also had over 8,000 visitors [link]. Replacing many of the children's activities no longer available at Nisei Week, Tofu Festival's Children's Pavailion provides entertainment for younger children throughout the day.
Tofu Festival uses annual themes, to both enhance the atmosphere and promote certain goals. A tofu block is Tofu Festival's mascot, which changes appearance and nickname depending on the year's theme.[link] The theme for 2006 is "It’s Hip to Be Square!", featuring the tofu block mascot wearing sunglasses and earrings. [link]
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See also
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