Every spring Vancouverites thrill at signs that winter is coming to an end: Flowers bloom in Vancouver’s top 5 gardens and Vancouver’s 40,000 cherry trees bloom in a sea of pink and white.
Vancouver celebrates spring and its cherry blossoms with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF) that runs throughout the city for a month. This year, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 21 to April 17, 2016 .
Steadily growing since its inception, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival comprises a wide range of events, most of which are free.
Top Events at the 2016 Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
- Do It Yourself Blossom Tours – March 21 – April 17, 2016 – FREE
- Everyone can enjoy touring the cherry blossoms of Vancouver for free, using VCFB’s Blooming Now and Cherry Viewing Map to plan a bike trip or walking / driving tour.
- Sakura Days Japan Fair – April 9-10 , 2016
- One of the best and most popular VCBF events takes place at Vancouver’s magnificent VanDusen Botanical Garden – the annual Sakura Days Japan Fair. This festival within a two-day festival celebrates Japanese cultural arts, performances and traditions with an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, festival food, ikebana (flower arrangements), premium sake tastings, guided ‘talks and tree walks’, Haiku Invitational readings, Japanese classical dance, taiko drums, cherry blossom dance, martial arts performances and more.
- Haiku Invitational – Submissions open until June 1, 2016 – FREE
- One of the most exclusive and beloved VCBF traditions is their Haiku Invitational, where anyone can submit up to two haikus about their love of cherry blossoms. Winning haikus are posted on Haiku Canada , Rice Paper , Ripples, and on the VCBF website!
- 10th Anniversary Blossom Barge – April 16-17, 2016 – FREE
- In honor of VCBF’s 10th anniversary, you can see the Blossom Barge, 40 cherry trees in full bloom pulled by a tugboat, making its way down False Creek. Viewpoints include Canada Place, Stanley Park, English Bay, Granville Island to Science World, with designated viewing stations at Canada Place and English Bay Inukshuk. You can also enjoy the barge moored at Granville Island, where there will be free concerts and musical performances.
History of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is a non-profit festival created in 2005 by Canadian Linda Poole. Growing up in Vancouver, Ms. Poole always loved the city’s spring cherry trees; When he learned about the ancient Sakura festivals in Japan and that many of Vancouver’s cherry trees originated as gifts from Japan, creating the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival seemed like the “perfect way to express our gratitude for this generous gift. and celebrate beauty. and joy [cherry trees] bring everyone «.
