This weekend, the NorCal Cherry Blossom Festival will take over Japantown with a festival celebration for spring. The beloved festival first kicked off last weekend, and will return for its second and final two days this weekend on April 18 and 19.
The festival includes live performances, shopping, family-friendly activities, and a Grand Parade to close out the festival on Sunday.
Some highlights for this weekend include performances like a Ukulele band, dance showcases, choirs, and more. You can also attend workshops on origami folding or see a bonsai exhibition. The event is family-friendly, with a Children’s Cherry Blossom Village.
Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Parade
This weekend features the Grand Parade, which serves as the finale for the festival. The parade starts at Civic Center at 1 pm on Sunday and then makes its way to Japantown, ending at approximately 3 pm.
You can expect drummers, dancers, and carefully decorated floats during the parade. The parade will also include the Festival Queen and her Court, and Japanese classical (Buyo) and folk (Minyo) dance groups. Finally, the parade will end with the San Francisco Taru Mikoshi, which will be carried by over 100 people.
This year’s grand marshal is Atsuko Okatsuka, a popular comedian and actress. Steve Nakajo, PJ Hirabayashi, and Roy Hirabayashi are the community marshals for the parade.
About the NorCal Cherry Blossom Festival
The festival first started in 1968 as a three-day festival to celebrate the opening of the Japan Trade Center, now called the Japan Center Mall. Today, it is run by dedicated volunteers, and it draws thousands of visitors every year.
You can learn more about the festival and find the full schedule of activities here.
