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Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia bursts with pink and white cherry blossoms each spring — a sure sign that the city has officially left its wintry chill behind.
Celebrate the season’s arrival and its deep Japanese cultural connections at the annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, running on select dates from March 28 to April 8.
Presented by the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, the citywide celebrations offer traditional dancing and taiko drumming performances, concerts, and food tours.
But the main event — a massive, two-day ticketed festival entitled Sakura Weekend — brings live performances, food, drink and more to Fairmount Park’s picture-perfect forest of sakura (flowering Japanese cherry trees). This year’s festivities are set to take place at the peak of cherry blossom season on Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Thousands of spring-ready Philly visitors and residents make a pilgrimage to Fairmount Park for the centerpiece of Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center’s Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia: Sakura Weekend.
The ticketed, family-friendly cultural celebrations are centered around the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center and the Centennial Arboretum in West Fairmount Park on April 5 & 6, 2025.
— Photo by K. Kelly for Visit Philadelphia
This year’s attendees can look forward to:
— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
General admission tickets cost $15 each, but kids under the age of 12 and Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia members enjoy the festivities for free. Discounted tickets of $5 are available to Philadelphia ACCESS cardholders. Timed tickets are required and can be purchased in advance on the official website or at the festival gate.
Admission to the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center — Fairmount Park’s traditional-style Japanese house, complete with stunning gardens and a koi pond — can be added to your ticket for only $5.
Click the button below for a full list of programming and more information about Sakura Weekend.
In addition to all the action in Fairmount Park for Sakura Weekend, a variety of Cherry Blossom Festival programs are scheduled throughout late March and the month of April.
StrEATS of Philly Daily Cherry Blossom Lunch Tours & Sakura Progressive Dinner Tour
Get a taste of Tokyo with StrEATS of Philly Food Tours.
The two-hour Cherry Blossom Lunch walking tour whisks you to local eateries like Blue Sushi for sushi, ramen, crepes and more (March 26-30, 2025).
And StrEATS of Philly founder and Michelin-featured chef Jacquie introduces you to Japanese dining destinations like Fat Salmon for drinks, entrees (Can you say sushi sundae?) and desserts during the Sakura Progressive Dinner Tour (Wednesday, March 26, 2025).
Sakura Concert at the Fallser Club
Celebrate the diversity and richness of Japanese music, culture, and artistic expression during this live concert featuring traditional, folk, operetta and classical music (March 28, 2025).
Traditional Dance and Taiko Drumming Performances
Tokyo’s Tamagawa University returns to Swarthmore College and West Chester University for impressive drumming and dance performances.
Tickets are open to the public (April 7-8, 2025).
— Photo courtesy Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia
For more information on the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, click the button below.
VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE
West Fairmount Park — near the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center, the site of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival — is without a doubt one of the best spots to see cherry blossoms during peak bloom in Philadelphia.
That said, it’s just one of many spots to take in stunning spring blooms throughout the city.
Click the button below to get the full scoop of where — and when — to see cherry blossoms adding touches of pink, white and purple to the Philadelphia landscape.
The annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival started in 1998 and continues a legacy established in 1926, when the Japanese government donated 1,600 cherry trees to Philadelphia in honor of the Sesquicentennial of American Independence.
Cherry blossoms maintain deep significance in Japanese culture, prominently featured in traditional art, literature and cuisine. As Japan’s national flower, cherry blossoms often serve as a symbol of friendship to other nations.
— Photo by C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia
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