The Guadalupe Buddhist Church held its annual Obon festival Sunday and honors ancestors.

Santa Maria Times Staff Report -Updated Aug 24, 2023

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The Guadalupe Buddhist Church held its annual Obon festival Sunday.

Obon festivals are held around the world to honor “ancestors who have shared their compassion and wisdom with us,” according to the Guadalupe Buddhist Church.

Obon has been celebrated in Japan for over 500 years and usually includes a dance, known as Bon Odori.

Sunday’s event, which started at noon, was held in Santa Maria at the Minami Community Center on Enos Drive and ended at 6 p.m.

The Guadalupe festival has been held annually since members of the Japanese-American community returned to the area after World War II. The event was canceled for two years during the coronavirus pandemic.

The church also offered chicken dinners for purchase and a raffle, with the top prize of $1,500, was also held.

There were additional raffle prizes, food and goods for purchase on site at the Minami Center.

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