NEW YORK—The cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are in full bloom. This weekend April 26 and 27, the garden will host the 33rd annual cherry blossom festival, Sakura Matsuri, to celebrate Hanami, the Japanese tradition of viewing cherry blossoms.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s cherry blossom festival is the largest event in a U.S. public garden. It features over 60 performances, demonstrations, and exhibits. Some of the most popular performances include Samurai sword fighting, Taiko drumming, and traditional Japanese dance.
This year’s festival has a special focus on Japanese fashion. There will be several so-called cosplay shows, as well as traditional kimono presentations. Hands on activities include tea ceremonies, flower arranging, manga workshops, and more.
“The festival is extremely popular with our community, it’s becoming a real hallmark of the Brooklyn spring season, everybody knows about it and anticipates it,” said Elizabeth Reina-Longoria, director of communications for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Yi Yang is a special correspondent in New York.
