Zoo festival features animals, stage shows

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Most of the festival activities concentrate around the pond at the center of the park.

Okinawa Kodomo-no-Kuni Festival 2015 opens Saturday in Okinawa City, with tens of thousands of visitors expected for the five-day event through Wednesday.

The Wonder Museum has tons of things to do that keep children busy for hours.

The festival at the Okinawa Zoo takes place 9 a.m. ~ 6 p.m. each day, with last entry to the grounds at 5 p.m. Admission to the festival is free for elementary school age children, except for the Wonder Museum. Entry for junior high and high school students is ¥200, and adults entry is ¥500.

Visitors can enjoy not only the zoo’s animals, but entertainment on the open stage. Included will be a dance show, music performances by local artists, and street performances.

The special workshops for children will take place at the Wonder Museum, with admission fee ¥200 yen, and ages 4~high school ¥100. On the workshop menu there are animal mask making classes for ¥300 from 10 a.m. ~ 5 p.m., a large scale paper sumo game free from 10:30 a.m. ~3:30 p.m., and a pin badges making booth for ¥300 from 10 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. In addition, the baby elephant that was born in March 4^th will be presented to the public.

Kodomono-kuni Zoo has many exotic animals including giraffes, hippos, rhinos and elephants on its premises..

Things kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday with an animal parade that includes horses, goats, sheep and dogs. The Nishihara High School Marching Band performs at 12:10 p.m., and Okinawa traditional performing arts are on stage at 2 pm. The WB Music Performance is at 4:30 p.m. Sunday’s entertainment begins at 11 with live music, followed at 2:30 p.m. by the La vie en rose belly dance show, and Banjo Ai music live at 4 p.m. Charley street performance starts things off Monday at 11 a.m., followed at 11:30 a.m. by Clown Funky’s street performance and the What’s Up Akemi dance contest at noon.

A Karaoke competition starts things off at 11 a.m. Tuesday, while Music Live by Children from Taiwan is in stage at 3 p.m. The Krazy Boyz musical performance is at 4:30 p.m. On Wednesdy, Acchan feat Hideyuki Miyato music is on stage at 11:30 a.m., followed by Ai & Rin anime songs at 2:30 p.m. The K-Pop dance performance is at 4 p.m.