The North Texas Kiku Matsuri 2014, our second biennial festival celebrating the chrysanthemum will take place October 29 through November 2, 2014. Kiku Matsuri 2014 is presented by the Dallas Chapter of Ikebana International, along with the Fort Worth Chapter and the Dallas Branch of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana. Kiku Matsuri is the last of the five festivals that ancient farmers observed with each complete cycle of the moon.

The UT Dallas Asia Center will be our Kiku Matsuri host this year. The large outdoor sculptures featuring various materials and, of course, chrysanthemums, will be scattered throughout the campus. You will be able to view them starting with the UT Dallas Capital Campaign Closing celebration on Wednesday evening, October 29. They will remain in place through Sunday, November 2. The exhibition of ikebana flower arrangements will be located in the Founders Building and viewable from Friday, October 31 through Sunday afternoon, November 2. On Saturday, November 1, there will be a morning workshop* for those who have no ikebana experience. In the afternoon on Saturday, there will be a workshop* for those who have ikebana experience. On Sunday, November 2, our guest artist Kika Shibata, Riji, will do a Grand Finale demonstration* in the Clark Center auditorium. This will be followed by a reception in the Founders Building Atrium honoring Kika Shibata and our honorary chair, Mr. John Stich, Honorary Consul-General of Japan in Dallas.

Mrs. Shibata is Director in charge of the western region for the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, which includes Texas. She is also Director of the South Bay Branch of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana.