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• JASSC Membership Potluck and BBQ

  • When
    03 Aug 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Bear Creek Regional Park, 1950 S 21st Street Colorado Springs, CO 80906

  Registration is closed

  

  About the Event

  Join us this August for our annual JASSC Member Potluck and BBQ! Please review your membership status by logging in, and reach out to membership@japanamerica.org if you need to renew!  (or just pay online, of course!) For those who have never been before, our summer potluck is a laid-back get-together where you can relax, meet fellow members, and enjoy some good food with good company. :) 

  Please register by August 1st! 

  ~Food~

  JASSC will provide: BBQ from Rudy's, soft drinks, water and ice, cake, eating utensils, plates, and napkins. 

  You should bring: A side dish to share, enough for about 10-15 people and serving utensil(s). To help those with allergies, attach a label with the dish name and ingredients. We also recommend bringing some camping chairs or picnic blankets, as we're got a lot of members registered, and will prioritize seating in the pavilion for those who need it (elderly, disabled, etc). 

  ~Activities and Entertainment~

  We will have some outdoor activities to play and encourage you to bring your own frisbees, kites, or whatever you like to play outside.

  Members are also encouraged to wear their favorite Japanese attire, such as happi coats and yukata (lightweight summer kimono). 

  ~Welcome our Homestay Guests! ~

  We will once again have 13 junior high school students from Fujiyoshida, two chaperones, and the host families joining us. Please make them feel welcome and get to know them! 

  The students will be doing a performance at 12:30 pm, then offering some hands on activities at 1, including Origami and Beyblades. 

  ~Schedule of Events~

  • 11:00 am - 11:30 pm ~ Check-in
  • 11:15 am - Opening Remarks
  • 11:30 am - Food Served
  • 12:30 pm - Remarks from Sister City Delegates and Fujiyoshida Student Performance 
  • 12:45 pm - Cake Served
  • 1:00 pm - Activities with the Fujioyshida Students
  • 1:45 pm - Closing Words
  • 2:00 pm - Event ends

  

  ✋ Volunteers Needed

  We could use a help with set-up, decoration, check-in table, and clean-up. Please sign up to help here! 

  

  ❔FAQ

  Q: I'm a member, but want to bring a friend who is not a member, is that okay? 

  A: Non-member guests may be approved on a case-by-case basis by emailing info@japanamerica.org.  However, please also consider encouraging your friend to become a member of JASSC.  Membership sign-up is quick and easy, and only $35 per individual per year! Alternatively, you might also consider expanding your own membership to the Tomodachi, which allows you to bundle 4 individual memberships together for $100 - that's just $25 per person! Click here to learn more! 

  Q: I have some allergies, and sensitivities, so I'm worried about cross-contamination... 

  A: We want all our members to feel safe at this event, so please email info@japanamerica.org to let us know if you have any major allergies, and we'll do a first-call for anyone with allergies to visit the buffet line, to cut down on any possible cross-contamination. 

  

  Please contact info@japanamerica.org if you have questions! 

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• Open Board Meeting

  • When
    18 Aug 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Online via Google Meet

  Register

  The JASSC board of directors invites you to observe our August board meeting! Get an inside look at this important part of making our mission happen. We hope this inspires you to get even more involved in our JASSC community or even become a board member yourself!

  We'd love if you prepare questions for us for the QA session from 6 to 6:30!

  google meet link

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• Conversation Over Cookies

  • When
    06 Sep 2025
  •  
    1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920)

  Register

  At this event, Japanese speakers will stay in place at a table with a board/card game and English speakers will jump around where they want to play. We will try to speak in Japanese as much as possible!

  Any level of speakers are welcome!

  Bring your own water bottles and some cookies or snacks to share if you can.

  Since the space is limited, please register using the button on this page.

  If you have questions or need to cancel your registration, please email Ayumi Peek at ayumiohishi@gmail.com.

  This activity is free of charge for JASSC members. We will ask $5 donations/family  from non-members.

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• Okonomiyaki Cooking Class

  • When
    13 Sep 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    The Hive Kitchen 6628a Delmonico Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80919
  • Spaces left
    10

  Register

  Join us for a hands-on class where you'll learn how to make okonomiyaki—a savory Japanese cabbage pancake whose name means “grilled as you like it.”

   Because there are so many variations, this dish is endlessly customizable. In this beginner-friendly class, we’ll guide you through a classic version topped with pork belly, green onions, and bonito flakes.

  Perfect for home cooks of any skill level, this 3-hour session will include step-by-step instruction, cultural insights, and time to enjoy your finished creation. All ingredients will be provided. A small list of common kitchen utensils will be sent to participants ahead of time.

  Class Size: Limited to 10 participants
  Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

  Allergy Info: This recipe involves egg, gluten, and fish. It is unfortunately not vegan/vegetarian friendly, but we hope to have more classes that are in the future! 

  About the Teacher: 

  

  The class will be led by David Swanstrom, a former career restaurant worker with experience as a sushi chef and avid home cook.

  David Swanstrom is a Colorado Springs native with a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Language and Culture from the University of Colorado Boulder. He lived in Abiko, Chiba Prefecture from 2016 to 2017, where he taught English and immersed himself in daily Japanese life and cuisine. His passion for Japanese food was further cultivated during his four years at a local sushi restaurant, where he worked as a server, floor manager, and sushi chef. In that role, he developed a deep understanding of seasonal ingredients and traditional preparation methods, often guiding customers through the intricacies of the menu and special ingredients that came weekly direct from Japan.

  One of David’s earliest and most memorable experiences in Japan was making okonomiyaki with new friends at a local okonomiyaki-ya, where the savory pancakes were grilled right at the table. He brings that same spirit of hands-on cultural exchange to his classes. David is an active member of the Japan-America Society of Southern Colorado, where he supports events that promote cross-cultural understanding. Though no longer in the restaurant industry, David continues to share his love of Japanese cooking and its vibrant presentation, and he looks forward to teaching participants how to make delicious okonomiyaki at home.

  The class is $30 for members, and $40 for non-members. To become a member, click here.  If you are already a member, please log in to access member pricing. 

  JASSC will provide all ingredients and eating utensils, but participants must bring most of their own cooking supplies. Please see additional event information below. 

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• Conversation Over Cookies

  • When
    04 Oct 2025
  •  
    1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920)

  Register

  At this event, Japanese speakers will stay in place at a table with a board/card game and English speakers will jump around where they want to play. We will try to speak in Japanese as much as possible!

  Any level of speakers are welcome!

  Bring your own water bottles and some cookies or snacks to share if you can.

  Since the space is limited, please register using the button on this page.

  If you have questions or need to cancel your registration, please email Ayumi Peek at ayumiohishi@gmail.com.

  This activity is free of charge for JASSC members. We will ask $5 donations/family  from non-members.

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• 2025 Japanese Cultural Bazaar

  • When
    25 Oct 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • Location
    PPUW Family Success Center, 1520 Verde Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

  Register

  
  

  Mark your calendar for the annual Japanese Cultural Festival and Bazaar on Saturday, October 25th, starting at 10 am.  Admission and parking is ✨free✨, so everyone is welcome to come and enjoy many Japanese cultural presentations while browsing and shopping for authentic Japanese goods from one of our many community vendors.

  Visitor registration is encouraged but not required! It just helps us get a good headcount. :) 

  If you would like to register as a vendor, volunteer, workshop host, or performer, please continue reading below. ⬇️

  

  Important Change in Location! 

  Like our other major events this year, we are moving the Bazaar to the Pikes Peak United Way Family Success Center (1520 Verde St., Colorado Springs). We've enjoyed working with UCCS for over 12 years, but the cost of holding events at universities and colleges has risen exponentially, and in order to keep this event low cost to vendors and free for visitors, we decided to make the move for this event, like our other big ones this year. 

  

  Registration Now Open for All Roles

  

  We're looking for Volunteers, Vendors, Performers, and Workshop Hosts for this culture bonanza! 

  1.  Please fill out the application form here for each role that you plan to participate in (i.e., please fill out the form twice if you are going to be a volunteer and a performer).
  2.  Our team should confirm your application in one to two weeks. 
  3.  If you don't see an email confirmation in that timeframe, please check your spam box, and then contact us at bazaar@japanamerica.org. 
  4.  Vendors, performers, and workshop hosts are approved on a case-by-case basis.  Participants must demonstrate a clear connection to Japanese culture. 

  Please share this event page and the application form widely, and with anyone you know who is interested in joining the fun! 

  

  More Info Coming Soon! 

  Check back frequently for info such as... 

  • Vendor lists
  • Activities for kids
  • Performances
  • Food
  • Workshops

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