Japan Fest July 18-19 at Arlington International Racecourse

The 33rd Annual Japan Day festival (known as Japan Fest) will be held this weekend at a new location, Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights.

Japan Fest is a cultural celebration including food, Japanese art and music, dance and martial arts demonstrations, live musical performances, children's activities, artisans, Japanese flower arrangements, authentic cuisine, taiko (Japanese drums), minyo (Japanese folk dance) and other activities. Full details are at japandaychicago.org.

The festival, the Midwest's largest showcase for all things Japanese, will coincide with the running of the Hanshin Cup Race at the racetrack. There will be three different entertainment areas:

• J-Tradition, featuring martial arts, calligraphy, tea ceremony, taiko drumming, art performances, cultural exhibits, a Kid's Corner with traditional Japanese games and a Kid's Gift Shop with traditional toys and sweets.

• J-Taste, featuring the finest in Japanese cuisine, including Ramen Restaurant Alley, local Japanese gourmet goods and offerings from many local Japanese restaurants.

• J-Entertainment, featuring hit J-pop band Funkist on Saturday night, a "flash mob" Awa Odori folk dance, and a cosplay party sponsored by Japanator.com, finalfanboy.com and Kinokuniya Books.

Tickets for noon to 8 p.m. Saturday are $8 ($6 online), with ages 4-17 $3 (free online). Tickets for entertainment only (enter after 4 p.m.) are $5 ($4 online). Tickets for noon to 5 p.m. Sunday are $8 ($6 online), with ages 4-17 $3 (free online).

Here is information on a few of the activities at the festival:

• Cosplay, an abbreviation for costume play, is a performance art in which the "cosplayers" dress up in the costumes of fictional characters from an anime, manga (comic), or game. Japan Day will host a Cosplay Dance Party from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday.

• Awa Odori is the Japanese traditional folk dance. Performers wear traditional bon dance costumes, chant, and sing as they parade through the streets. It's easy to learn and the sponsoring group has been free lessons at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Arlington Heights and in Chicago with the goal of producing the largest Japanese dance event in the history of Chicago. The Awa Odori Festival in Tokushima attracts more than 1.3 million tourists.

• The Japanese martial art of aikido is a comprehensive system of throwing, joint-locking, striking and pinning techniques, coupled with training in traditional Japanese weapons. It was conceived not only for self-defense, but as a means of promoting positive character.

• Choir Futaba is a three-part women's chorus affiliated with the Chicago Futabakai Japanese School in Arlington Heights.

The festival is sponsored by the Chicago Japanese Club, Chicago Sister Cities International-Osaka Committee, the Japan America Society of Chicago, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Chicago, the US-Japan Council and is advised by the Consulate-General of Japan and JETRO Chicago. It also has many Japanese business and corporate sponsors.