Events from February 14 – April 18

Tanabata Festival

12Cherish — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:30:00 +0000

You are warmly invited to the Denver Takayama Sister City Committee’s annual Tanabata Festival celebration on Sunday, August 23 from 5:30 – 8 pm.

The gathering will be held at The Sellers private residence in Centennial with a beautiful Japanese garden (and tea house). The address and additional details will be provided after registering.

What is Tanabata?

Tanabata (Star Festival) is a traditional Japanese festival based on a romantic legend that dates back more than 1,000 years. According to the story, two celestial lovers—Orihime (the Weaving Princess), represented by the star Vega, and Hikoboshi (the Cowherd), represented by the star Altair—were separated by the Milky Way because they neglected their duties after falling in love. They are allowed to meet only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, if the skies are clear.

Today, Tanabata is celebrated throughout Japan as a festival of hope, wishes, and community. People write their wishes on colorful strips of paper called tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches, believing their hopes and dreams may come true. The wishes can be about health, success in school or work, happiness, peace, or personal goals.

It will be an opportunity to meet members of the Denver Takayama Sister City Committee, and enjoy a relaxing evening of Japanese cultural entertainment and light refreshments.

If you would like to attend, please sign up using the link below:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/tanabata-festival-celebration–2026

We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you there!

Best regards,

Susan Weller, DSCI Takayama Committee Chair

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Farm to Table Dinner

12Cherish — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

SOLD OUT!

Our Farm-to-Table Dinner has reached capacity. Thank you for your tremendous support! If you missed this event, we hope you’ll join us at one of our upcoming Denver Sister Cities programs celebrating cultures from around the world.

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Ashenda 2026

12Cherish — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

ASHENDA 2026
September 7, 2026

Each August/September, Tigrayan communities around the world celebrate Ashenda — a vibrant cultural festival honoring girls, women, music, tradition, and resilience.

Ashenda is a powerful expression of cultural identity and community and offers an opportunity for education, celebration, and cross-cultural understanding here in Denver.

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Adult Trip to Rural Japan

12Cherish — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 07:00:00 +0000

SOLD OUT! – Takayama Cultural Exchange | November 2–13, 2026

Fall in Love with Japan

This is not a traditional tour.

The Denver Takayama Sister City Committee invites you to experience Japan through the relationships built over more than sixty years of friendship between Denver and Takayama.

Travel alongside fellow Denver-area participants as you explore historic cities, ride Japan’s famous Shinkansen bullet train, enjoy authentic regional cuisine, and experience the warmth of local hospitality. Most importantly, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Japan through the unique lens of Denver’s official sister-city partnership.

Whether this is your first visit to Japan or a return journey, this exchange offers cultural access and local connections rarely available through conventional travel programs.

Learn more.

Travel to Japan with Denver Sister Cities

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