Enjoy the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival with the Whole Family
Each spring, Vancouver turns pink when over 40,000 cherry trees bloom. The city celebrates with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Here's how to join in on the springtime fun.
Blossoms After Dark: March 28-30
Experience the magic of cherry blossoms on a night walk through David Lam Park. On the evenings of March 28, 29, and 30 you can stroll beneath an illuminated canopy of cherry blossoms at the Blossoms After Dark event. It also includes performers and food trucks.
The Big Picnic: March 29
Join cherry blossom lovers from around the world at The Big Picnic on March 29th. The picnic takes place under 100 Akebono cherry trees in David Lam Park in Yaletown. The free event encourages everyone to gather under the cherry blossoms to participate in "hanami", the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom viewing.
Bring your own blanket and sit back to enjoy live performances on the Cherry Jam Stage. Parking is limited, but the Yaletown-Roundhouse Skytrain Station is just a few blocks away. Or arrive by bike via the False Creek Seawall path.
Blossom Block Party: April 5
Party with the cherry trees at the Blossom Block Party on April 5th. This all-ages celebration is in partnership with Public Disco, a non-profit that transforms urban spaces into dance floors to bring people together with music. Held at the Dunsmuir Patio at Bentall Centre, the Blossom Block Party includes live DJs, a pop-up bar, dance performances, and kids activities.
Sakura Days Japan Fair: April 12 and 13
Each year the signature event of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is the Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden. This year, the event takes place on April 12 and 13. Enjoy the cherry blossoms, known as sakura in Japanese, while you immerse yourself in Japanese culture.
The event includes Japanese food, drink, performances, music and art. You can participate in a traditional tea ceremony, sample premium sake, listen to taiko drumming, watch woodworking demonstrations, and lots more. Purchase timed-entry tickets in advance.
Haiku Invitational: March 1 to June 1
Each year poets from around the world submit their haikus to the Haiku Invitational. There are six categories: Vancouver, British Columbia, United States, International, and Youth. Anyone can submit a haiku and the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival website has resources to learn about haiku and to learn to write haikus.
The Haiku Exhibition showcases the winning haikus in visual art interpretations from local Indigenous and Japanese-Canadian artists.
Tree Talks and Walks: Various Dates
Sign up for Tree Talks and Walks to take a tour of neighbourhood blooms with a local expert. You can also follow the self-guided Haiku Walk from Joy Kogawa House in Marpole. The route includes a map with stops at several species of cherry trees. Each stop includes a haiku to ponder as you admire the blossoms.
Afternoon Pop-Up Events: Various Dates
You can enjoy afternoon pop-up events in downtown Vancouver. On March 26 the Pop-Up Pavillion will be in Bill Curtis Square in Yaletown. Find it on April 6 in Jim Deva Plaza in the West End. Both pop-ups include live music, art, and of course, cherry blossom viewing.
Bike the Blossoms: Date TBA
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival plans to bring back the popular Bike the Blossoms event this year. It's a magical slow-paced group bike ride under tunnels of pink cherry blossoms in East Vancouver. The bike route and date for the 2025 event will be released soon.
If you want to bike beneath blossoms on your own, routes from 2024 and 2023 events are available. Or use our guide to cherry blossom cycling routes to explore blooms in other parts of the city.
DIY Cherry Blossom Adventure
Thanks to the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival's interactive blossom map, it's easy to plan your own DIY cherry blossom adventure. The map includes over 2,500 locations across Metro Vancouver. It also notes which cherry tree cultivar you will find and the approximate bloom date.
If you head out on your own to find cherry blossoms, please remember that many blossoms are located in otherwise quiet residential neighbourhoods that see a sudden influx of visitors in cherry blossom season. Bike or take transit to reduce vehicle congestion. Respect private property. And keep roadways clear when taking photos.