WHEN: Saturday, August 8, 2026
SERVICE: Hatsubon Service at 3:00 p.m.
DANCING: Bon Odori Dancing at 6:00pm
Dedicate an Online Lantern to your loved one(s): https://tsdbt.org/obonlanterns/
The TSDBT Obon Festival, celebrating our loved ones and ancestors who have died, will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
Parking: Sakura Square garage, 1st & 2nd floors, parking is free. There will be a sign that says “No Public Parking” at the entrance; parking is only for Hatsubon/Obon participants on Saturday. ALSO: We just learned that there is a sold out concert at Coors Field on Saturday evening; please arrive early to make sure you are able to find parking if our garage is full.
*** PLEASE NOTE: Saturday will be very hot, and dancing will be held outside. Please bring extra water and be aware of the air quality if you have any respiratory concerns. ***
The day begins with our Hatsubon Service at 3:00 p.m., which is a memorial service for those who have passed away in the last year. If you have a loved one who has passed away in the past year and would like to honor them by lighting a candle during the service, please contact Alison Nishi (info@tsdbt.org) in the office by Thursday, August 6th, and include the following information about the loved one you would like to honor:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Date of death
Bon Odori dancing led by TSDBT Minyō Kai with Denver Taiko Performance will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Sakura Square parking lot. The TSDBT Choir will also accompany our dancing, with a special performance of Lantern Song, which we were lucky to learn from Bonbu Stories last November. All are invited to join in celebrating those who have died by dancing with joy together. Food for purchase and games will be available.
Obon Lanterns to Remember our Loved Ones will be available at Bon Odori for a recommended donation of $20 to TSDBT. These are personizable to remember your loved ones, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis as long as supplies last.
We also have a web page displaying virtual lanterns that may be personalized with a small donation: https://tsdbt.org/obonlanterns/. To dedicate a lantern on the web page: click “Dedicate a Lantern” in the top right corner or scroll down to fill out the form. We will accept dedications for this year through the end of August. The page will remain available to visit throughout the year, and we will reopen for dedications again next summer.
Obon Dance Practices will be held Wednesday and Thursday, August 5th and 6th, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Temple Gym. Practices are led by TSDBT Minyō Kai and are open to all. This is the perfect time to learn and/or refresh your memory of the group dances. Please join us for this fun time to learn and get to know each other!
PLEASE NOTE: This weekend’s (August 8th/9th) service will be the Hatsubon service on Saturday. There is no service on Sunday, August 9th.
Keep your eye on this space for more information to come!
Please contact the TSDBT Office with any questions: 303.295.1844 or info@tsdbt.org