The 34th Tanabata Festival was held at SFC on July 1 (Sat.) and July 2 (Sun.), with approximately 12,335 visitors on the first day and 4,159 on the second. Despite some minor event changes due to the unfortunate rain on the first day, the Tanabata Festival was successfully held for the first time post-COVID-19 era.
The concept of this year's Tanabata Festival was "さあ、(So let's)". As the concept implied in the wish that everyone can shine and everyone can have fun, the two-day event was a wonderful event, filled with smiles from the Keio students, student groups, and visitors.
The first day, unfortunately, started with rain, and the outdoor stage performances were moved indoors, but thanks to the flexibility of the festival planning committee members, the performances were rescheduled on the outdoor stage in the evening after the rain had cleared up.
A wide variety of performances were presented, including cheerleading, a cappella, band, and dance performances. Surrounded by a large audience both indoors and outdoors, the performances were filled with enthusiasm and excitement, overpowering the summer heat. The second day, which was a clear sunny day, was packed with many families and children attending the fair by the duck pond.
Each classroom also hosted unique events such as rakugo performances, mystery-solving games, haunted houses, radio programs, etc. Some of the events were so popular that there were crowds of people waiting in line.
The SFC Art Exhibition, held simultaneously for the first time, provided a rare opportunity for creative students to showcase their talents, attracting many visitors with a variety of out-of-the-box projects.
Skies were looking unstable from the morning of the 1st (Sat.), and there was a possibility that the annual fireworks display might be canceled, but it went off without a hitch and went ahead as scheduled.
The spectacular fireworks in full bloom in the summer night sky provided a wonderful summer memory for all the visitors.
撮影：Atsushi Kawai, Eiji Yoshioka
Released by: General Affairs Office at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC)