１．お城まつりの概要
general outline of the Castle Festival
（全般）
お城まつりは城下町丸亀市の毎年春に行われる最大の年中行事で市の発展と繁栄を願うふるさと創生事業の一つです。
The castle festival is the biggest annual event to be held every spring
season in Marugame City, a castle town, and is one of the hometown creating
project that wishes the development and prosperity of the city.
例年五月の連休の二日間に開催され、市のシンボルである丸亀城の城内外特に大手門前地域で各種行事が催されます。
Many kinds of events are held inside and outside of Marugame Castle which
is the symbol of the city, and especially in front of the Main Gate area
in the period of two days of holidays season in May.
今年は第７０回目の開催となり、築城４２１周年に当たります。
This year is counted on the 70th time of the Festival, and it is the 421st
anniversary of the Castle construction.
お祭り期間中はお堀端大通りは一般車両は通行止めにしてお城まつり行事を祝います。
During the festival period, Horibata broad street is shut out of any cars for enjoying events.
（各種行事）
各会場では各種のパレードやステージでの芸能ショーのほか、伝統民芸や特設物品展示などが繰り広げられ、多数の市民及び帰省客をはじめ近隣の市町からや近頃は外国からの観客でにぎわいます。
At each event site, various parades and entertainment shows at the stage,
traditional folk arts and special exhibits are spreading. A lot of people
including many citizens and homecoming guests, and from neighborhood cities
and towns, and from abroad in these days, will get together there.
夜も大きな行事があり、毎年市内外からの多数の踊り連が参加して、３日夜はフリースタイル踊り、４日夜は伝統的な丸亀踊り総踊りがあります。
There are also big events in the evening, lots of dancers groups usually
participate from inside and outside of the city: they are free style modern
dancing at first night and grand traditional Marugame dancing at second
night.
２．大手門前のお堀端大通りおよび特設ステージの行事
main street along side of the Castle Moat and the special stage on it
（お堀端大通り）
この大通り会場はお城まつりメイン会場として数多くの華やかなイベントが行われます。
This broad street is used as a main event site for the Castle Festival,
and many gorgeous events are held here.
最初の日５月３日は、キッズ大パレードやマーチングバンドの行進、そして大名行列やふるさとの太鼓台パレードや丸亀城鉄砲隊の火縄銃砲術演武などが繰り広げられます。
On the first day, 3rd of May, a big kids parade and band marching will
be held, and also Daimyo's procession and the Taiko-dai parade from each
home town and firing demonstration by the Marugame Castle Hinawa Rifle
squads and other events will be spread out very actively.
次の日５月４日には、この通りでは、その年の特別企画プログラムが展開されます。 今年はハローキティーをはじめサンリオキャラクターたちが登場します。
The next day, 4th of May, special project program for every year is spreaded out. For this year, Sanrio-charactors group including Hello-Kitty is going to appear.
（特設ステージ）
また、このお堀端大通りの市民芝生広場前には特設ステージが設置されて、パレードや踊りなどを観覧できる特別席が設けられ、姉妹都市代表はじめ内外からのご来賓を招待してお祭り行事を紹介します。
On this main street along side of the Castle Moat, in front of the public
square with lawn field, a special large stage and special seats on it are
set up to watch parades and dances on the street, inviting special guests
from inside and outside of the City, including the guests from Sister Cities,
in order to introduce the festival events for them.
そしてこのステージ上では大通りでのパレードや踊りや競技などのイベントが行われない時間には各種の音楽隊のコンサートやアイドル歌手や芸人のトークショーやライブ演奏会やサンリオステージショーが催され観客の目を楽しませてくれます。
And at this stage, at the time when events such as parade, dance parades
and competitions are not held, such as variety of musical teams concerts,
popular young singers and entertainers' talk shows, live concerts and Sanrio-charactors
stage shows are joyfully held.
３．市民広場（芝生ゾーン）の行事
events at the public square with lawn field
市民広場（芝生ゾーン）周辺では、数多くの大道芸人や踊り連その他の出演者が大道芸とか音楽や踊りのパフォーマンスを行います。
In and around of this public square with lawn field, numerous street performers
groups and other dancing groups show their performances and music playing
and dancing.
また、この広場のテント出店には、丸亀城下町こだわり大物産展が開かれ、お城まつりに交流都市の特産品や地元丸亀のグルメが大集合します。
And also, in this square, large-scale exhibitions of Marugame castle town
self-praise products are held at a lot of opening tent shops for the Castle
Festival, gathering local famous products from Exchanged Associating cities
and locally known Marugame gourmet.
この広場周辺では、香川・愛媛・岡山・大阪の各地からボーイズアイドルグループが集まり、自慢のパフォーマンスを披露します。
Around this square, popular young boys groups gather from various places in Kagawa, Ehime, Okayama, Osaka, and show off their own brilliant performances.
また、昨年は丸亀城石垣崩落があったので、今年はそのＰＲコーナーが設けられ、復興の願いを込めたチョコ積み選手権が行われます。
As a part of stone wall on the Castle broke down last year, the PR corner is going to be held this year, and chocolate pilling game also be held for hope of early rebuilding.
サンリオカフェワゴンもこの広場に開店されます。
Sanrio-caffe-wagon will be set in this area.
４．第４４回丸亀お城村の行事
The 44th Marugame Oshiro-mura Castle-Village Events
お城まつり期間中は城内の資料館北側芝生広場が毎年恒例のお城村広場として指定されていろいろなボランティア活動行事などが開催されます。
During the Castle Festival, also inside the castle, lawn open space at
the north side of Castle Musium is annually designated as the Marugame
Oshiro-mura Castle-Village and various volunteerors group activities' events
are operated.
行事の主要なものは、ステージではジャズフェスティバルやマジックショーやキッズゲームなどがあり、城内にはお化け屋敷や巨大迷路などが設置されます。また、処々にフリーマーケットの店やリサイクルショップもたくさん出ます。The major events are jazz festivals, magic shows and kids games at the
stage, ghost thrilling houses and huge mazing labyrinths are set up inside
the castle area. Also, a lot of flea market shops and recycling shops will
appear here and there inside the Castle area.
５．他施設での協賛イベント
以上のメイン会場のほか、次のような施設での協賛行事もあります。
In addition to the main event sites just as explained before, some kind
of sponsorship events at other facilities are also held as following:
例えば、まなびらんど（生涯学習センター）では、書道・絵画・写真・陶芸・華道の展示があり、子供将棋大会も開かれます。
For example, at Manabi Land (Lifelong Learning Center), there are many
exhibitions of Calligraphy, Painting, Photography, Ceramics, and Flower
arrangement. Also Kids' Shogi Tournament will be opened.
また、ひまわりセンターでは、抹茶のお茶会があります。
At the Himawari Center, you can enjoy a Matcha tea ceremony.
丸亀市立図書館でもリユーズ図書販売が行われます。
Reuse selling books will be held at Marugame City Library, too.