2025 Salt Lake City Obon Festival (Japanese Food, Live Taiko, Hawaiian & Traditional Dancing) (Sat only)NEW

Salt Lake City Obon is held in July, and is the largest festival of the year. The festival and the Obon memorial service are held in recognition of a story found in the Ulambana Sutra. The story concerns one of Shakyamuni Buddha's ten great disciples, Mogallana. In the sutra, Mogallana learns the true meaning of gratitude through the life and death of his deceased mother and the help of Shakyamuni Buddha. At his realization, Mogallana's joy was so great that he began to dance. To commemorate this legend, one of the highlights of the Obon festival is the dancing by the Sangha and others from the community.

Festival Obon Date
July 12, 2025

Festival Obon Time
Sat: 3 pm - 10 pm

Bon Oori Dance
8 pm: Bon Odori Dancing

Obon Schedule
3 pm: Japanese food
7 pm: Hawaiian dancing and taiko drumming
8 pm: Traditional dancing
9 pm: Intermission

Food 
Beef & Chicken Teriyaki
Grilled Eggplant
Somen
Vegetable Sushi
Musubi
Limeade + Beer

Dance Practices
Every Monday through Thursday starting June 30th, 7pm to 9pm in the temple gymnasium

About Salt Lake City's Obon Tradition
Salt Lake City’s Obon Festival, hosted by the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, reflects over a century of Japanese American history in Utah. Japanese immigrants first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the late 1800s, many working on railroads and in mining camps. The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, established in 1912, became a cultural and spiritual hub for the community. Over the decades, Obon has evolved into a cherished summer tradition-honoring ancestors, sharing Japanese culture, and uniting generations of families and friends. Today, the festival welcomes thousands from across Utah and beyond, blending Buddhist meaning with community celebration through food, music, dance, and remembrance.

Event Title
Salt Lake Buddhist Temple Obon Festival

Event Location
Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, 211 West, 100 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101