American Day 2011; Misawa community on both sides of the fence celebrate

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Japanese and Americans from the local community spent the day together enjoying food, music, games and a variety of cultural events during the 23rd Annual American Day Festival, June 26, 2011. More than 80,000 people attended the Sunday celebration to support and strengthen U.S.- Japan relations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Phillip Butterfield)

American Day 2011: Misawa community on both sides of the fence celebrate

Published June 27, 2011
By Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- An estimated 80,000 American and Japanese residents from local communities came out to celebrate American Day June 26.

American Day, a tradition that began 24 years ago, is hosted by the 35th Fighter Wing in cooperation with Misawa City and the Misawa International Club. The celebration is an opportunity for base residents to share American culture and show appreciation for their Japanese neighbors.

With a sports theme, this year's event included a fun run, parade, carnival games, a haunted house, a static aircraft display, musical entertainment and more. In the afternoon, Japanese and American teams squared-off in games of volleyball and basketball. When event-goers were hungry, they visited the multiple food booths selling culinary treats from America and Japan.

American Day was more than just a celebration of culture this year - it was an opportunity to give back to Japan. Funds were raised throughout the day, and $5,000 was donated to the American Red Cross to support disaster relief operations in Japan.

"The event was a success and we were glad to have raised so much money for the American Red Cross," said Capt. Christ Stein, American Day project officer. "Of course, none of it would have been possible without our team of volunteers. They did a fantastic job pulling this together despite big challenges over the past five months."

To view photos from American Day, visit the American Day web page, or click here. You can also check out even more photos on the 35th Fighter Wing Facebook page.