After an unusually long and chilly winter, the Spirit of Cherry Blossom Festival will welcome the first signs of spring to the city. The event will introduce the Japanese tradition of enjoying the transient beauty of cherry blossoms to Richmond. The celebration will take place in Garry Point Park, which is home to 255 Akebono cherry trees that will provide a stunning frame for a day of nature, culture and community.

“The first Cherry Blossom Festival to be held in Richmond is not only to celebrate the City’s year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation,” says event organizer Jim Tanaka, “but to also bring Richmond’s unique and diversified island community together to experience a touch of the authentic Cherry Blossom Festival as it is celebrated in Japan.”

This free public event takes place Sunday, April 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to the natural wonder on display, attendees will enjoy performances by a local Taiko drum group, dancers, craft displays, demonstrations and vendors.

The Spirit of Cherry Blossom Festival is a recipient of the City of Richmond’s Canada 150 grant initiative to assist community partners in staging their own Canada 150 events and activities. Richmond’s Canada 150 ignites the passions of the citizens of Richmond in a multi-faceted, year-long celebration, honours Richmond’s distinct and vibrant cultural diversity, and leaves lasting legacies that foster civic pride and carry the spirit of 150 into the future.