Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival
Blooms of colorful cherry blossoms are a sure sign of the arrival of spring in the Philadelphia region. The annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival honors these beautiful flowering trees and the city’s deep Japanese cultural connections.
The celebration takes place in historic Fairmount Park in the oh-so-photogenic forest of sakura (flowering Japanese cherry trees). Most of the trees here were planted in 1926 as a gift from the people of Japan to mark 150 years of American independence.
The family-friendly festival features taiko drumming, multicultural musical performances and more.
This year’s event is a return to pre-pandemic form, with a beer garden, marketplace and Japanese cultural activity center popping up on April 15 and 16, 2023 outside of the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
The event is free to attend, but those who make an optional donation are automatically entered into a raffle for a few great prizes.
Aside from the beautiful blossoms, highlights of the two-day Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival include:
In addition to all the action in Fairmount Park, film fanatics can catch seven film screenings of classic movies starring acclaimed Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune at the Lightbox Film Center on select dates from April 7 to 29, 2023. Each screening is presented on 35 mm film in Japanese with English subtitles.
— Photo by K. Kelly for Visit Philadelphia
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
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.
Drexel Park in West Philadelphia, one of the best spots to see cherry blossoms in Philadelphia. — Photo by C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia
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.
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Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
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Serenity and elegance in Fairmount Park...