Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2014
byThe Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is right around the corner as the brown branches we’ve known throughout winter turn various shades of pink. Vancouver boasts 40,000 trees that will burst with blossoms over the next few weeks and there are dozens of ways that you can enjoy the sights, from community events and walks to bike rides, picnics, and photo ops.
“In the cherry blossom’s shade there’s no such thing as a stranger.”
-Kobayashi Issa
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival was founded by Linda Poole in 2005 and since that time it’s become a kickoff to spring for locals.
“I believe in the power of the blossoms. It’s appreciating the beauty in life that makes life worth living,” says Linda. “In our universal response to their beauty, we are united. Especially during these times we must connect back to nature. The ephemeral nature of the blossoms reminds us to seize the moment and celebrate life now.” Here are just a few of the festival’s major events:
Sakura Night
What: Sakura Night Gala
Where: Tojo’s Restaurant on 1133 W Broadway, Vancouver
When: Sunday, March 30, 2014. 6:30pm: Cherry Blossom Martini Welcome, 7:00pm to 9:00pm: Standing Dinner Reception.
Let the celebrations begin this spring with an extraordinary dining experience hosted by Tojo’s Restaurant, featuring sensational Japanese cuisine created by Tojo’s Restaurant, Zen Japanese Restaurant, RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim, Seventeen89, Miku Restaurant as well as Zakkushi and Bella Gelateria.
Cherry Jam Downtown at Burrard Station
What: Cherry Jam Downtown Concert
Where: Indoor concourse of Burrard Skytrain station
When: Thursday, April 3, 2014 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Cherry Jam will showcase performances by the Yayoi Movement Theatre, Folk artist Michael Averill, 2013 Haiku Invitational celebrity readings and Haiku Bard by Christopher Gaze of Bard on the Beach, an energetic dance performance by VanCity Soran and the thunderous sounds of Richmond’s Tetsu Taiko to warm up the scenes of Cherry Jam.
Sakura Days at VanDusen
What: Sakura Days Japan Fair
When: Saturday, April and Sunday, April 6, 2014 from 10:00am to 5:00pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden
Haiku Invitational
What: Poetry Competition
When: March 1, 2014 to June 2, 2014
Where: Online
The 2014 Haiku Invitational will accept up to 2 unpublished poem submissions (in English only) from each individual, online from March 1 to June 2, 2014. The theme is “Meet your neighbours.”
Consult the Community Events calendar and the VCBF Neighbourhood Map online for more activity ideas.
Guidebook Giveaway
To assist you with your search for cherry blossoms around Vancouver I have a copy of the Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver guidebook to give away. Written by Douglas Justice, Associate Director & Curator of Collections at UBC Botanical Garden, this book is Vancouver’s most comprehensive guide to the city’s 40,000 ornamental cherry trees and embodies a lifetime’s worth of work by Douglas Justice and 8 years of research by Festival Cherry Scouts. The guidebook is for sale online for $30 or at the UBC Botanical Garden shop for $25 (plus tax).
![Cherry Blossom Guidebook](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2853/13204969093_f3eedcf6af_n.jpg)
![Cherry Blossom Guidebook](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/13204823235_72f7b2f8e1_n.jpg)
The copy I have to give away is signed the author, Douglas Justice, and it include exact location information for each type of tree. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post naming where you love to view cherry blossoms in Vancouver (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, March 21, 2014. Be sure to follow the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival on Facebook and Twitter for the latest event and blossom-viewing information.
Update The winner is Cheri-Anne Watson!
41 Comments — Comments Are Closed
I love to view the cherry blossoms while walking around my neighborhood in the West End. Seeing them always brings a smile to my face and helps me to appreciate the smaller things in life.
I love the white trees down by Burrard Syktrain station
Kits Point is my fave area as a whole, not particular block,.. and already blooming now!
I love the cherry blossoms at Queen Elizabeth Park. A perfect setting to work on a painting!
Love the cherry blossoms in my own backyard and all down the streets in Richmond and Vancouver.
Love the cherry blossoms on residential side streets – they brighten up the neighbourhood.
I would love to view the cherry blossoms at Vanier Park!
Burrard Skytrain Station is my favourite viewing spot. I love the tent of blossoms over the walkway. Glorious!
I have got to agree with the ones around Burrard Street station
outside my home
in my own backyard!
Graveley Street near Rupert – a TUNNEL of pink followed by a tunnel of white in April. We tour people through it whenever possible.
The seawall around Granville Island and right outside my door in Yaletown.
all over town
There’s an amazing avenue of blossoms on 14th at Columbia. I love to cycle down through the middle of it all.
Burrard Skytrain station!
Kerr and E. 58th (ID.1226 Blooming: 0316-0329)
Usually in Vancouver
around my neighborhood
Granville Island and along residential side streets around the lower mainland.
I enjoy the area around Stanley Park’s Japanese Canadian war memorial.
Fave time of year. My neighborhood has an abundance of beautiful cherry blossom trees.
My husband and I just moved to this area last fall. I am anxiously looking forward to seeing the cherry blossoms. I have heard so much about how beautiful they are!
There are some great hidden gems in North Burnaby.
Frances St. in Burnaby Heights.
39th Avenue between Dunbar and Collingwood
Around my neighbourhood of Marpole.
My fav place to view cherry blossoms is the neighbourhood around Lakeview Elementary in Burnaby
Garry point in steveston.
In front of my house on East 23rd!
Love the view just getting on the Barnet hwy. Cherry blossoms with trees and snow-capped mountains behind them is beautiful!!
Burnaby Art Gallery!
There are five cultivars in my neighbourhood of Grandview Woodlands, and they each bloom at various times throughout the spring. They usually start blooming on the west side of Commercial Drive in March and move eastward like a large wave each month till May.
walking around Kerrisdale Village.
Saw my first tree on Point Grey Road with a ski hill in the background.
McKay Ave in South Burnaby is one of my favourite streets for cherry blossoms (walking south from Rumble St., you get a great view down the whole streets of blossoms and out towards Richmond).
My kitchen window w morning coffee
Queen Elizabeth Park
I like the pretty blossoms in Kits where house prices are cheap and people are so friendly…
I love to the blossoms in Kits!
Burrard Station!