Opening Reception kicks off WMDF 017

WMDF 017 began with our staff jumping for joy, or perhaps dodging the last-minute chaos.

Don’t miss your chance to see the groups playing just the first half of the festival. Among many others, our friends Zahatorte from Kyoto have brought their patter and their accordion, and Kachimba have left behind the typhoon that cancelled their flights from Okinawa last year.

We exchanged gifts, stories, and even dance moves at the opening reception on the second floor of the historic “Polaris” festival headquarters building. The real performances are better still. Don’t miss out!

Follow along on our YouTube channel, updated daily. August is looking like a hot time.

Video credit-: 加藤隼平_jumpeikatoh

It’s Show Time: Welcoming Our First Artist to WMDF 017!

We are excited to announce the arrival of our first international artist for this year’s event!

We are setting the stage for another unforgettable meeting of worlds.

Many others are travelling from afar to be with us, bringing unique talents and vibrant energy. This marks the beginning of another exciting journey. The rest of our artists will arrive from overseas in just a couple of days. (We hope they’ve packed their favourite snacks!)

Dozens of staff are working hard to prepare for the main festival starting next Monday, and the anticipation is high. With our return to 7 days in park, it’s truly “show time”. This first arrival is just a taste of the magic to come.

Stay tuned for more updates as we welcome the rest of our international lineup.

Let the countdown to the main festival begin – it’s show time!

Festival Finale 2023

Atlas stage was closed by Vero Soffia and her band, with all the other artists still in Hakodate taking their turn for a final bow.

Our traditional final audience photo was taken from the stage, with this year’s pose based on the 016 festival theme: “High Five”. See you next year!