Sakura Weekend: Everything You Need to Know About Philadelphia's Cherry Blossom Festival

This weekend, immerse yourself in the beauty and culture of Japan without ever leaving Philadelphia, as the Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia's Sakura Weekend returns to Fairmount Park on Saturday and Sunday.

Hosted by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, this annual celebration of Japanese arts and culture invites the public to enjoy a weekend filled with free activities at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center and the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center.

Last year, the festival drew record crowds of over 40,000 people who gathered to admire the delicate pink blossoms of the Japanese Sakura, or flowering cherry tree. While many cherry trees in the Philadelphia region reached their peak bloom earlier this year due to a warm March, there are still plenty of species in bloom to enjoy during the festival.

In addition to marvelling at the cherry blossoms, attendees can partake in a variety of traditional and contemporary Japanese cultural experiences. The festival will feature a beer garden, music and dance performances, tea ceremonies, live calligraphy demonstrations, matcha whisking, origami making, and much more.

The festivities kick off on Friday night with an event at The Fallser Club in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. Kazumi Teune, Executive Director of JASGP, expressed her excitement for the festival, stating, "You can experience Japan while you are here. The Cherry Blossom Festival is a true labour of love between myself and my fellow board members, and each year, we are overjoyed to bring a taste of our beautiful culture to Philadelphia."

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