San Fernando Valley Obon Festival 2026

The San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple Obon Festival returns June 27–28, 2026, one of the most cherished Japanese American cultural celebrations in the Los Angeles area. Obon is a Buddhist tradition honoring the spirits of ancestors, celebrated across Japan and in Japanese American communities throughout Southern California each summer.

The festival features Bon Odori — traditional Japanese folk dances performed in a circle around a raised yagura drum tower. Participants of all ages and backgrounds are invited to join the dance; no experience required. Community members wear yukata (summer kimono) and neighborhood kids show up in every combination of traditional and casual wear.

Festival food is a major draw: fresh yakitori, takoyaki, shave ice, mochi, corn on the cob Japanese-style, and home cooking from the temple's volunteer kitchen. The food at Obon festivals is not festival food — it is the food these families actually make, and it shows in every booth.

The San Fernando Valley Buddhist Temple is located in Pacoima. Parking is available on-site and in surrounding streets. The festival is free to attend; food and game booths are individually priced. This is a genuine community gathering — not a packaged cultural experience, but a neighborhood event that has been happening in this community for generations.