MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — For two days in June, a slice of sidewalk in Misawa city will dish out all that’s American, from hip-hop to hotdogs.
The base is gearing up for the 17th annual American Day on June 4 and 5, an event that last year drew about 70,000 Japanese from all over northern Japan, according to organizers.
The weekend is designed to showcase American popular culture, customs and traditions. It’s a way for Americans “to give back to the local Japanese in northern Japan,” said Capt. Dan Wallick, lead organizer of this year’s American Day with Senior Master Sgt. Dave Myette. “It’s an opportunity to show them what American society is all about.”
Put on in conjunction with the Misawa International Club and the city, the event relies on the support of more than 1,000 base volunteers and members of private organizations, Wallick said, including planners and American Day participants.
Wallick said June 4 is a good chance for Americans to check out the flavor of American Day without fighting the crowds typically seen on the second day. Christy Rew, wife of Brig. Gen. Bill Rew, Misawa base and 35th Fighter Wing commander, kicks off the festivities with a welcome speech at 1 p.m., followed by a rendition in Japanese and English of Disney’s “It’s a Small World” by local American and Japanese children.
Most activities will center between the main gate and first stoplight off base, where private organizations will stand up 36 food booths each representing a different U.S. state or region. Ballet dancers, a hip-hop dance team, a graffiti artist and the base honor guard drill team will perform until about 7 p.m.
Wallick said the idea is to mimic Santa Monica’s Third Street promenade, or any similar American city shopping and entertainment district, where one would find street performers, artists and an array of food and live music.
On June 5, a parade down White Pole road, led by base senior leaders and featuring classic cars, Edgren High School sports teams, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force marching band, a slew of local American bikers and even Elvis, is to end at Misawa Civic Center for a 10:45 a.m. ceremony. Brig. Gen. Rew and Misawa Mayor Shigeyoshi Suzuki are the guest speakers.
The day’s festivities will spill over into the city park and inside the civic center, where the base will have cultural exhibits. Base residents will give cooking demonstrations, put on a haunted house and showcase a wedding display and handmade quilts, while military lawyers will hold a mock trial. Music, martial-arts demonstrations and athletic events will take place outside.
Anyone interested in performing at American Day may contact Staff Sgt. William Cyrus at DSN 226-6130 or by e-mail william.cyrus@misawa.af.mil. The American Day Committee also is looking for parade participants. Contact Tech. Sgt. Christopher Troyer at DSN 226-4352.
