Description of last weekend’s live-stream telethon fundraiser, Bazaar at Home Edition, held by the Buddhist Church of Sacramento.
On August 8 the Buddhist Church of Sacramento live-streamed on Facebook a telethon fundraiser dubbed the Bazaar at Home Edition to support the church and its various endeavors. The event was held in lieu of the popular annual Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar which was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SacramentoRevealed.com – All Things Sacramento (from a personal perspective)
This was the first time since the 1947 founding of the Buddhist Church of Sacramento that the annual event was cancelled. 2020 would have been its 74th year!
The annual bazaar is one of the largest Japanese cultural events in the Sacramento area. Thousands attend the event each year to enjoy the food, cultural exhibits and demonstrations, among other things. The bazaar is also the church’s major fundraiser of the year.
Curious, I decided to “attend” the event which took place from noon to 5:00 p.m. that day.
Bazaar at Home Edition Telethon
I was very impressed with the 2020 Bazaar at Home Edition telethon put on by the church. The program was varied and included a mix of musical performances, interviews, history, cultural demonstrations and related video clips.
Congresswoman Doris Matsui made remarks via a recorded message about the importance of the Church to the Japanese-American community in Sacramento.
Among the cultural offerings were:
- Bunka (Japanese embroidery) Demonstration
- The Art of Mataro Kimekomi Dolls
- Shuji Calligraphy Demonstration
- Bonsai Virtual Tour
- Cooking Demonstration
- Karate Demonstration
- Ikebana Floral Arrangement Demonstration
Musical performances included individual solo performers, including individual members of the musical groups such as Merv Maruyama of the Grateful Crane Ensemble, Stephen Kashiwada of the Sacramento Betsuin Choir, and Tiffany Tamaribuchi of Sacramento Taiko Dan.
In addition to accepting monetary donations, the church also was selling commemorative t-shirts and aprons.
Attendees had a behind-the-scenes peek at the volunteers manning the phones as donations poured in. Donors names and the amount contributed scrolled across the bottom of the screen, leading me to conclude that the event was a huge success.
Missed the Bazaar at Home Edition telethon? Click the link to view the YouTube recording. You are welcome.
To sum up, I am sure we all hope we can attend next year’s Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar in person!
Comments on the Buddhist Church of Sacramento Bazaar at Home Edition?
Did you “attend” the event? What comments would you add?
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