Community Corner

Dates Set for Brooklyn Botanic Garden 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival

Sakura Matsuri will take place April 28- 29, with or without the blooms.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 31st annual Cherry Blossom Festival will take place April 28 and 29, even if the blooms have already peaked.

The cherry blossoms are blooming about 10 days-to-two weeks ahead of schedule this year, meaning before the festival takes place.

"It’s impossible for us to predict exactly what the esplanade and cherry walk will look like, but it’s possible that we will be in the petal carpet stage, which is very beautiful but the petals will be off the branches," said garden spokeswoman Kate Blumm.

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Check the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's frequently updated CherryWatch Blossom map to see which trees are in bloom now. 

However, she said that even if the petals are off the trees, that shouldn't affect the festival, which is as much about the events and performances as the trees themselves.

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"The Cherry Blossom Festival is inspired by the cherries but it doesn’t require the cherries to be in full bloom," Blumm said.

She added that due to the warmer weather, guests will likely be able to see other flowers that usually come later including azalea, wisteria and lilacs. 

Asked whether the garden had considered making the festival earlier this year, Blumm said that the date is set a year in advance and with so many events, it wouldn't be practical to try to change the date. 

The event, which the garden has hosted for the past 30 years, offers more than 60 events over two days including contemporary and traditional Japanese music and dance, taiko drumming, ikebana flower arranging, Japanese DJs, presentations on the art of manga, tea ceremonies, and workshops for kids and adults.

Some highlights this year include a specially created performance by renowned jazz pianist Kuni Mikami and his band, interpreting traditional Japanese folk songs using a jazz vocabulary. Morning Musuko, a 15-member J-pop big band, returns by popular demand, playing a stand-alone set in addition to scoring the dazzling Cosplay Fashion Show. Closing the festival for the third year in a row, the fashion show features over a dozen unique renditions of Japanese manga and anime characters—all painstakingly hand-fashioned by dedicated participants exclusively for this event. 

Other returning favorites include performances by Okinawan-pop stars happyfunsmile and the martial arts ensemble Samurai Sword Soul. Manga and anime activities include a live collaboration between Veronica Taylor (the voice of Pokémon) and artist Misako Rocks! At Puzzle Plaza, visitors can immerse themselves in Sudoku, LaQ, shogi, and the game of go, and throughout the Garden there will be hands-on activities especially for children. 

According to the Botanic Garden, Sakura Matsuri is the nation’s largest event in a public garden, with tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. Events are free with garden admission, which is $5 higher on those two days: $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and students. Children under 12 and garden members are free. Members also get to bypass the admission line, which can be long. 


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