My little nerd heart was psyched to hear that the pastel princess herself, Pasteldotz aka Sharifa Macias was dreaming up a homegrown ode to all things kawaii. On April 11th 2026, Hampton Roads VA is going to play host to Kawaii Fest!
What’s all this then?
“Attendees can enjoy experiences such as appearances by the local maid café, live performances from local musicians, creative workshops, a fashion walk, and more! Designed for all ages, Kawaii Fest is a joyful, community-driven event that showcases the vibrant kawaii scene in Hampton Roads while supporting local creatives.”-Kawaii Fest’s Website
Thinking about what kawaii means to be, brought up cherished memories of Card Captor Sakura and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Petticoats, swords, bloomers with matching gloves, and the annoying destiny of having to save the world. (or reality????) Sign me up!
On a more personal note, I love watching passionate artists win! When we get to see friends and people in our various communities bring their own personal dreams to life, it sparks a bit of hope inside you. We love watching folks continue to nourish their creative energies, especially within interests that often lie outside of mainstream culture.
Part of why I am so excited for an event like this, is because of a dedication to local businesses and small artists. Events like this showcase how vital getting closer with your neighbors is and reminds us that when we pour love into our community, people will show up for you. I got to ask Sharifa a few questions about why she wanted to do this.
Black Nerd Problems: We’d love to learn a little more about you! What has been your Hero’s Journey thus far?
Pasteldotz: SO! I label myself as a multifaceted creator because it’s hard to put everything I do into one bubble. At my core, I am a graphic designer, and I think people mostly recognize my work for the cute style in my designs. I am the creator and designer for my brand, Sweet Bitz, which features kawaii and nerdy themed apparel and accessories.
Over the years, my brand has grown and expanded in different ways. From having a boutique space to collabing with major events! What I love most is getting to create unique brand pop up events for the community that always are a hit. My Black Fae day tea party was probably my most popular one! People now know me for putting on cute events so the local kawaii community can have something new that is tailored to them.
Black Nerd Problems: What initially drew you towards the kawaii aesthetic and community?
Pasteldotz: My love for everything kawaii definitely started at a young age for me. I think the first time I read the Gothic & Lolita Magazine really blew my mind open. Despite the name, the magazine was VERY cute. It was probably my first introduction to anything j-fashion related when I was in middle school. I of course had a love for everything Sanrio (RIP to our local Sanrio store) and Hamtaro at that age as well. I truly loved everything and anything cute!
“I love the passion and creativity the community has for fashion and cute things. It’s definitely a group I love to be around. It feels good to be yourself in a group of folks with shared interests and feel like you have genuinely found your people.”
As I got older, I learned that there were more people into these same things. It wasn’t until well into my adult years that I really got the confidence to fully dress in my kawaii outfits and try to connect to communities who dress the same. I would travel to DC to be around the j-fashion community up there, or try to participate in any j-fashion events at conventions. I love the passion and creativity the community has for fashion and cute things. It’s definitely a group I love to be around. It feels good to be yourself in a group of folks with shared interests and feel like you have genuinely found your people.
Why Kawaii Fest? Why is it important to you?
Pasteldotz: A friend of mine who has attended my community events told me years ago that I should coordinate something for the local j-fashion community to meet up at. She told me how we don’t have any actual events that cater to us around her outside of my little pop-ups, and she’s correct! Then a fellow kawaii artist told me how we have a lot of kawaii artists here and that we should plan a fun marketplace. This was how the idea of Kawaii Fest was made. There is a need for an event that showcases our local kawaii artists and offers a place for j-fashionistas to dress up, gush about fashion, and be amongst folks who share the same interests.
Kawaii Fest is important to me because I love being able to give back to my community that supports me. I want to be able to have more events that give people the opportunity to show out in their outfits. The j-fashion community in Hampton Roads (Virginia) have been wanting something like this that doesn’t require them to go out of the state. I am ecstatic that it’s finally happening here.
BNP: What is Kawaii Fest NOT?
Pasteldotz: It is not a quick cash grab using a popular aesthetic to get attention. This is an event made for the community by the community and being built with a lot of love.
BNP: LAST QUESTION: You have a team of five fictional characters to help save the world; who are you picking and why?
Pasteldotz: The Sailor Scouts!! Specifically, the inner Senshi. They’re already the guardians of the solar system so I know they could whip our world into shape!
See more of Pasteldotz here. Check out Sweet Bitz on Instagram, Facebook and official website!
Be sure to follow the Kawaii Fest website and social media like the official Instagram and Facebook pages for more updates.
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