Welcome to SSCA’s Member Celebration and Annual Meeting!
Highlights of the 2025-26 Year in Review.
Isesaki Report:
The Isesaki Committee is charged with helping staff design, host and organize activities related to our sister city of Isesaki, Gunma, Japan. This is SSCA’s first sister city, signed on July 18, 1986. SSCA is celebrating the 40th anniversary with Isesaki and the 30th Japanese Fall Festival in 2026.
Members of the Isesaki Committee are: Christy Blachford, Allison Blachford, Patrick Bowen, Anjuli Bowen, Tina Crawford, Hiromi Elliston, Mobu Elworth, Jan Fisk, Carolyn Gerdes, Sara Haider Perkins, Jennifer Hateley, Kazumi Holcomb, Jennifer Johnston, Devon Klein (chair), Mika Logan, Sandra Lowther, Tyler Maddux, Brigitte Marrs, Marissa Mayhew, Jennie Ngo, Mary Pilant, Denny Pilant, Yudai Sanada, Merry Stevenson, Vicki Wetzel, Mark Woolsey and Yumi Yoshida.
June 2025:
Students in Springfield and Isesaki launched a penpal program, exchanging 153 letters between Isesaki Uehasu Junior High and Springfield students in gifted programs at Central High School and WINGS. SSCA board member Rachel Love-Jones, SPS Opportunity & Access Curriculum Coordinator, worked with Gifted Education Director Lenae Lazzelle and Isesaki langauge teacher Lorena Costa Pinheiro.
June-August 2025:
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board operations team worked on several projects at the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, including a new exit gate to improve pedestrian flow for large events; rebuilding the Zig Zag Bridge and Wisteria Island arbor; and creating an accessible pathway for the Azumaya water wheel feature. The path was funded in part by donations at Gigs in the Garden concerts.
August 2025:
Joe Dillstrom was selected to represent Springfield at the annual Isesaki City Festival in September. He raised funds for his trip to supplement SSCA’s support from the Traveling Musician Fund.
September 2025:
The 29th annual Japanese Fall Festival, headlined by Samurai Sword Soul, included new performers like a group of university kyudo (archery) students. SSCA presented a check for $64,581.33 for half the net admission proceeds to the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. These funds are used for enhancement projects at Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden. Performers also visited several Springfield Public Schools, entertaining and educating about 1,500 students about Japanese culture.
September 2025:
An 11-member delegation including traveling musician Joe Dillstrom visited Isesaki and enjoyed home stays for the annual city festival. The delegates enjoyed participating in the Mikoshi, the carrying of a portable shrine through the city to bring blessings to people. The group also saw sites in Tokyo and visited Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara and Osaka.
January 2026:
SSCA joined Kizuna Japanese Friendship Group to host a table at the Multicultural Festival held on the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
March 2026:
SSCA and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board hosted the 2nd Sushi & Sake in the Stroll Garden the weekend before the garden opens to the public for the season. A second-time sellout, the event featured guest performer Dianne Daugherty from Kansas City on the koto, Japan’s national instrument.
April-May 2026:
The annual Isesaki Student Art Exhibit displayed pieces from 78 students in the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center atrium. The students represented five grades from eight Isesaki elementary schools and come from 10 countries along with Japan.
April 2026:
The annual Cherry Blossom Kite & Piñata Festival drew about 10,000 participants to Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park on a spring day just right for flying kites and whacking piñatas. Both activities represent celebrations of spring and good fortunes for children in Japan and Mexico. Special guest Paco Padilla visited Springfield from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, to perform with Lancaster Station. They represented Springfield together as traveling musicians in Isesaki in 2022.
Tlaquepaque Report:
The Tlaquepaque Committee is charged with helping staff design, host and organize activities related to our sister city of Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, Mexico. Springfield and Tlaquepaque became sister cities in 2003 and have enjoyed many cultural and travel exchanges for nearly 25 years.
Members of the Tlaquepaque Committee are: Brad Bodenhausen, Rhonda Christopher, Sheila Davis, Andy Drennen, Tom Finnie, Araceli Hanks, Nancy Hoeman (co-chair), Devon Klein, Brigitte Marrs, Patrick Parnell, Mary Pilant, Denny Pilant, John Price, Tim Robbins, Tony Shalloup, Michael Thomas (co-chair) and Vicki Wetzel.
October 2025:
Taste of Tlaquepaque featured the final reunion of Springfield’s M-Dock Band, which is retiring after more than 30 years, and Tierra Mojada, longtime musician friends from Tlaquepaque. The evening at the Oasis Convention Center included a patron party and silent auction. The musicians also made several school visits to share their collaborations.
January 2026:
On the first of two winter citizen delegations to Tlaquepaque, new Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag and his wife, Mary, met Tlaquepaque Presidenta Laura Imelda Perez. It was among many highlights of a trip that included visits with artists and a trip to learn about production of tequila, the iconic spirit of Jalisco, Mexico.
February 2026:
The second citizen delegation of 2026 got a personal tour of sculptor Rodo Padilla’s workshop and enjoyed great meals and hospitality at Quinta Don Jose, the “headquarters” for SSCA’s visits. They also made side trips to the cities of Morelia and Capula, the latter famous for its intricately painted Catrina figurines.
April 2026:
Those who attended the annual Cherry Blossom Kite & Piñata Festival experienced a special performance with guest artist Paco Padilla joining Lancaster Station for a reunion of the musicians who traveled to Isesaki in 2022. The festival drew about 10,000 participants to Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park on a spring day just right for flying kites and whacking piñatas. Both activities represent celebrations of spring and good fortunes for children in Japan and Mexico.
Performance Schedule:
Today’s schedule for performers:
11:45 a.m.: Dallas Jones
A popular performer around Springfield, Dallas represented Springfield as the Traveling Musician to Isesaki in 2023.
12:15 p.m.: Kizuna Japanese Friendship Group
Led by Hiromi Elliston, this longstanding group represents young Springfield performers’ interest in Japanese culture.
1 p.m.: Mariachi Flor de Missouri
These popular performers are making a return visit to Springfield to share their love of entertaining and educating on the traditional Mexican music culture.
2 p.m.: Stay for Gigs in the Garden!
Springfield singer/songwriter Brett Miller and the Gigantic Band will carry on the afternoon of culture and friendship at Gigs in the Garden.
Buy a Bucket to support the Traveling Musician Fund
For the SSCA’s 40th Anniversary, we’re uniting our three cities with Grupo Canela from Tlaquepaque, Mexico, joining the Springfield Citizen Delegation for this fall’s trip to Isesaki, Japan’s annual city festival.
Grupo Canela will visit Springfield in June for several performances to raise funds for their travel expenses. SSCA’s Traveling Musician Fund also helps support the artists representing Springfield each year in Isesaki.
Each donation of $25 at one of our upcoming events will get a bucket hat to show support for this international friendship of Tlaquepaque, Springfield and Isesaki.
More details of the upcoming shows will be updated on Traveling Musician Fund page, which includes a form for online donations.
