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Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2014

Comments 41 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The 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.

Cherry blossom under sunny blue sky
Photo credit: LawrenceH on Flickr

“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.”

falling bloom falling bloom aerie
Photo credit: rocketcandy & rocketcandy & rocketcandy on Flickr

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 Cherry Blossom Guidebook

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:

RT to enter to win the “Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver” guidebook from @officialvcbf + @Miss604 http://ow.ly/uE3jy

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!

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41 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. Anita BSunday, March 16th, 2014 — 5:55pm PDT

    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.

  2. LauraSunday, March 16th, 2014 — 7:03pm PDT

    I love the white trees down by Burrard Syktrain station

  3. Steve v.Sunday, March 16th, 2014 — 7:04pm PDT

    Kits Point is my fave area as a whole, not particular block,.. and already blooming now!

  4. JoanneSunday, March 16th, 2014 — 7:33pm PDT

    I love the cherry blossoms at Queen Elizabeth Park. A perfect setting to work on a painting!

  5. LindaSunday, March 16th, 2014 — 7:39pm PDT

    Love the cherry blossoms in my own backyard and all down the streets in Richmond and Vancouver.

  6. KevinSunday, March 16th, 2014 — 8:22pm PDT

    Love the cherry blossoms on residential side streets – they brighten up the neighbourhood.

  7. JackySunday, March 16th, 2014 — 9:21pm PDT

    I would love to view the cherry blossoms at Vanier Park!

  8. Carol BrowneMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 12:48am PDT

    Burrard Skytrain Station is my favourite viewing spot. I love the tent of blossoms over the walkway. Glorious!

  9. RebeccaMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 1:32am PDT

    I have got to agree with the ones around Burrard Street station

  10. JaeMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 8:21am PDT

    outside my home

  11. kayMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 9:43am PDT

    in my own backyard!

  12. shaunaMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 10:01am PDT

    Graveley Street near Rupert – a TUNNEL of pink followed by a tunnel of white in April. We tour people through it whenever possible.

  13. AmyMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 10:07am PDT

    The seawall around Granville Island and right outside my door in Yaletown.

  14. AndreMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 11:06am PDT

    all over town

  15. RuthMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 11:09am PDT

    There’s an amazing avenue of blossoms on 14th at Columbia. I love to cycle down through the middle of it all.

  16. LucMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 12:01pm PDT

    Burrard Skytrain station!

  17. JanMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 1:00pm PDT

    Kerr and E. 58th (ID.1226 Blooming: 0316-0329)

  18. WallyMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 1:24pm PDT

    Usually in Vancouver

  19. moniqueMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 4:31pm PDT

    around my neighborhood

  20. MarianneMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 5:19pm PDT

    Granville Island and along residential side streets around the lower mainland.

  21. DaveMonday, March 17th, 2014 — 9:04pm PDT

    I enjoy the area around Stanley Park’s Japanese Canadian war memorial.

  22. Sharon D.Monday, March 17th, 2014 — 11:08pm PDT

    Fave time of year. My neighborhood has an abundance of beautiful cherry blossom trees.

  23. Cheri-Anne WatsonTuesday, March 18th, 2014 — 10:57am PDT

    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!

  24. Michael KwanTuesday, March 18th, 2014 — 1:23pm PDT

    There are some great hidden gems in North Burnaby.

  25. Nadia W.Tuesday, March 18th, 2014 — 2:10pm PDT

    Frances St. in Burnaby Heights.

  26. Aline BennettTuesday, March 18th, 2014 — 3:37pm PDT

    39th Avenue between Dunbar and Collingwood

  27. Bob LovelessWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 10:31am PDT

    Around my neighbourhood of Marpole.

  28. Tina YinWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 11:11am PDT

    My fav place to view cherry blossoms is the neighbourhood around Lakeview Elementary in Burnaby

  29. JackieWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 11:20am PDT

    Garry point in steveston.

  30. RamonaWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 4:52pm PDT

    In front of my house on East 23rd!

  31. JulieWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 5:00pm PDT

    Love the view just getting on the Barnet hwy. Cherry blossoms with trees and snow-capped mountains behind them is beautiful!!

  32. Kai Yan ChauWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 9:49pm PDT

    Burnaby Art Gallery!

  33. MavisWednesday, March 19th, 2014 — 11:13pm PDT

    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.

  34. Jill IsotaniThursday, March 20th, 2014 — 8:31am PDT

    walking around Kerrisdale Village.

  35. Frank_ZThursday, March 20th, 2014 — 10:59am PDT

    Saw my first tree on Point Grey Road with a ski hill in the background.

  36. JacquieThursday, March 20th, 2014 — 9:03pm PDT

    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).

  37. DeborahFriday, March 21st, 2014 — 12:08pm PDT

    My kitchen window w morning coffee

  38. Mabel MakFriday, March 21st, 2014 — 3:22pm PDT

    Queen Elizabeth Park

  39. JasonFriday, March 21st, 2014 — 5:20pm PDT

    I like the pretty blossoms in Kits where house prices are cheap and people are so friendly…

  40. richard wFriday, March 21st, 2014 — 7:37pm PDT

    I love to the blossoms in Kits!

  41. Swapnil ShahTuesday, April 1st, 2014 — 10:23am PDT

    Burrard Station!

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