Tanabata Matsuri: Japanese culture festival is held in the interior of SP The traditional Japanese festival 'Tanabata Matsuri - The Meeting of the Stars' reaches its 29th edition, at the Japanese Brazilian Cultural and Sports Association of Araraquara (SP). The event starts this Friday (17th) and continues until Sunday (19th). With 21 exhibitors of typical Japanese products and foods, as well as dance and music attractions, the organizers of the 29th Tanabata expect to receive approximately 20 thousand people over the three days of the event. (See the full schedule below). ? Follow g1 São Carlos and Araraquara on Instagram The program is free and entry is the donation of 1 kilo of non-perishable food per person. Proceeds will be donated to city institutions. The festival brings together typical food and drinks, oriental products, a cosplay contest and artistic performances of music, dance and Taiko (Japanese drums) with artists from the region. 29th Tanabata - The Encontro das Estrelas expects approximately 20 thousand people in three days of event in Araraquara Amanda Rocha/Arquivo More news from the region: VIDEO: 'drive-thru' of drug trafficking generated R$ 300 thousand per month, says police; 16 people are arrested TRASH: sofas, mattresses, prunings and rubbish are discarded on sidewalks and streets FATALITY: bodies of 3 workers killed in an accident are buried History of Tanabata Tanabata is a Japanese festival that celebrates the meeting of the stars. According to legend, Princess Orihime (star Veja) fell in love with Prince Kengyu (star Altair). In love, the two forgot about their tasks and obligations, so the Celestial Lord, the princess's father, separated the couple and forced them to live on opposite sides of the Milky Way. Noticing the couple's sadness, the Celestial Lord allowed the lovers to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, the day of Tanabata, under one condition: they would have to respond to all requests coming from earth. During the Tanabata celebration, people write their wishes on slips of paper and tie them to bamboo trees. After the party, the requests are burned and rise to the heavens to be fulfilled. Traditional Japanese festival "Tanabata" moves Araraquara this weekend Tanabata Araraquara/Disclosure Check out this year's schedule Friday (17): 7:15 pm: Opening with Nisho Wadaiko (Taiko) 8:15 pm: Yume no Machi (Taiko) 9:30 pm: Yanagi (Taiko) Matsuri Dance Bom Odori Saturday (18): 7:00 pm: Okinawa Dance 7:20 pm: Okinawa Children's Dance 7:45 pm: Mugenkyo (Taiko) 8:15 pm: Shishimai 8:30 pm: Gustavo Hokama 9:25 pm: Yukio Yamashita (Taiko) 9:55 pm: Nisho Wadaiko (Taiko) 10:20 pm: Matsuri Dance Sunday (19): 12 pm: Shishimai 12:20 pm: Gustavo Hokama 12:30 pm: Banda Sankyo 1:30 pm: Banda Elisios 2:15 pm: Cosplay contest 5:00 pm: Nisho Wadaiko (Taiko) Queima dos Tanzakus The address of the Associação Cultural e Esportiva Nipo de Araraquara is at Rua Dr. José Barbieri Neto, 434, in Jardim Botânico. Tanabata Matsuri takes place this weekend in Araraquara (SP) Disclosure Cosplay contest at Tanabata de Araraquara Tanabata Araraquara/Disclosure REVIEW EPTV VIDEOS: See more news from the region on g1 São Carlos and Araraquara