A host of street performers, food and goods from around the world, workshops for all the family, plus our renowned Mojitos. This free-entry, outdoor frolic in Hakodate’s historic Motomachi Park is the pre-event for the main WMDF event that runs from Aug 5-10 every year. The circus marks 50 days until the start of WMDF, and is the place where we announce the international artists who will be performing in August. This event is new for 2015 and replaces the “Opening Live Tour” and Shimin Kaikan performances that we have run since 2008. Sponsor pass tokens for WMDF also go on sale at the Circus, and this year the pass numbers are strictly limited, so come along to make sure you don’t miss out!

Worlds Meet Circus (WMC) 2015 Details

• Full Name: 008 World Music and Dance Festival Pre-Event “Worlds Meet Circus 2015″
• Site: Motomachi Park, 12 Motomachi, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido
• Date&Time: Jun 13 (Sat) 11:00-19:30, Jun 14 (Sun) 10:00-18:00
• Entry: Free

Important Information for WMC-goers

Etiquette

We are looking forward to welcoming many people to our event. To promote a happy and successful event we hope that WMC-goers will keep in mind:

• We encourage walking, cycling, or the use of public transport wherever possible.
• Please, if you drink, don’t drive.
• We ask you to consider the lines of sight of those around you when taking spaces in the crowd, when using parasols/sunshades/umbrellas, or when carrying children on shoulders.
• WMDF is in principle a smoke-free event. However, there will be some clearly marked smoking areas. If you smoke in these areas, please respect the crowd around you, and dispose of cigarette butts properly.
• WMDF is staffed by a team of friendly volunteers who are there to help, but please remember that they cannot know every detail of the event and may need to check things occasionally or refer to someone else.

Conditions of Entry

We are grateful to everyone who supports our event, especially those who are mindful of the conditions:

• In 2011, we introduced our “Open Japan” policy to help show the world that the country was recovering from the Great Tohoku Earthquake. We are continuing this policy of encouraging audience members to photograph and video operformances, and to post online to show to the world. If you like, you can use the hash tag #wmdf. Please be considerate of others when taking pictures and observe the following common sense rules: make sure that no pathways around the stages are obstructed, do not use tripods, as they will affect the view of others, and no flash photography directed at the performers, as it distracts artists and can be dangerous. For videos, we ask audience members to display common sense: we think that around one minute is a fair length to record, and our staff will ask people obviously making recordings longer than this to stop. In general, WMDF reserves on behalf of the artists the exclusive copyright for all photographs and recordings made at any venue, and the above permission to record and use images of stage events excludes any usage that leads to profit-making.
• For any performance with a no photography policy (still/video) this will be clearly clearly announced and signposted. Anyone seen recording at such performance without permission may have equipment confiscated.
• No person shall interfere with plants, water fixtures, or any other installation at any of the venues.
• No unauthorised busking or performing, flyering or pamphleting, or promotion or distribution of goods or brands other than those of WMDF sponsors.
• There will be no refunds given for lost “tameshi”-tickets.
• Worlds Meet Circus events (including “colour” such as audience participation) will be archived by accredited camera crews and photographers. Please be aware that images obtained in this way may be used by WMDF for publicity purposes (both online and in mainstream media). Attendance at any WMDF event indicates acceptance of the “fair use” of your personal image in this way. The entry point for any query about the use of images is email to wmdf.org, user name wmdf.

Lost & Found

In the “Big Here”, things get lost. Our advice is:

• Please look after your valuables, but if you do lose something, check if it has been handed in at the main reception area of your event. Items unclaimed will be held at the “Worlds Meet Japan” Office in the Machi-Tsukuri Center until 30 Jun (call 0138-23-8560), and then sent to the West Police Station (nishi keisatsu-sho) (call 0138-42-0110).
• Sometimes groups may be separated. We recommend you organise to meet with children at the main reception area of your event if you do lose each other. If a lost child arrives at the main reception area, our staff will alert security.

We wish you all a big, long Worlds Meet Circus.