California always greets the arrival of spring with abundant blossoms. Cherry trees that bloom before the jacaranda starting from early March are plenty in San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles areas. Cherry blossom seasons in these cities are always marked with festivals giving tribute to their Japanese roots and celebrating delicate pink flowers that symbolize the fragility of beauty.
Cherry blossom festivals in Los Angeles and beyond
The Los Angeles area celebrates gorgeous pink sakura bloom from early March through late April. Visit the Cherry Blossom Month at Descanso Gardens to see hundreds of trees in bloom, learn about Japanese culture, and participate in origami demonstrations.
There is also the Cherry Blossom Festival in West Covina, East San Gabriel Valley. Cultural program includes Japanese dance and judo demonstrations.
Huntington Beach Cherry Blossom Festival features food vendors and musical performances in Huntington Central Park. Torrance celebrates the Cherry Blossom Cultural Festival in Columbia Park, while Monterey Park honors its Asian heritage with drums, martial arts, and a tea ceremony in Barnes Park in the heart of the town.
If you are interested in photographing sakura trees, visit Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles. Blooming cherry trees line the reservoir, forming dreamy clouds of pink petals around it.
Cherry blossom festival in San Francisco
San Francisco hosts the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, one of the largest Japanese celebrations in the US. During two weeks in April, the festival attracts over 200,000 attendees. It features a magnificent blossom display and an introduction to Japanese culture. Held in San Francisco’s Japantown, the festival is free and open to all. The stretch of Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets usually features food booths, cultural performances, martial arts, live music, and a beauty pageant. And the Grand Parade is held here on the second Sunday of the Festival. The parade starts at City Hall and ends in Japantown.
Cherry blossom festival in San Diego
San Diego celebrates the cherry blossom season with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. The festival showcases the Hanami tradition of Japan when people enjoy the beauty of abundant cherry blossom trees. Japanese Friendship Garden is home to San Diego’s only location of massive cherry blossoms. Some 12,000 visitors join the festival over the course of three days.
Practical info
When can people see the cherry blossom in California?
The cherry blossom in California can usually be seen from March to late April, which is when the trees bloom before other trees like jacarandas. Cherry Blossom festivals also take place during this period, which are held across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Show more
Which other locations are recommended for seeing cherry blossom in California apart from San Francisco and San Diego?
In addition to San Francisco and San Diego, Huntington Beach and Monterey Park are also recommended places to see the cherry blossom in California. Huntington Beach's Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in Huntington Central Park and offers food vendors and musical performances. The festival in Monterey Park also honors its Asian heritage with drums, martial arts, and a tea ceremony in Barnes Park. Show more
What is the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival and when does it occur in San Francisco?
The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is a Japanese celebration that takes place in San Francisco's Japantown over two weeks in April. It is one of the largest Japanese celebrations in the US and attracts over 200,000 attendees. The festival showcases a magnificent blossom display, cultural performances, martial arts, live music, and a beauty pageant. The Grand Parade occurs on the festival's second Sunday and runs through Japantown. Show more
What activities does Los Angeles have during the Cherry Blossom Festival?
In Los Angeles, visitors can expect several activities during the Cherry Blossom Festival, including those at Descanso Gardens. The Cherry Blossom Month offers hundreds of trees in bloom, origami demonstrations, and a chance to learn about Japanese culture. West Covina's Cherry Blossom Festival features Japanese dance and judo demonstrations. Lake Balboa is also an ideal location in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles to photograph sakura trees, which form dreamy clouds of pink petals around the reservoir. Show more
What can visitors see at the Japanese Friendship Garden's annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Diego?
The Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego's only location of massive cherry blossoms, hosts the annual Cherry Blossom Festival over the course of three days. While there's no specific information on the number of cherry blossom trees in the garden, more than 12,000 people typically attend the festival. The festival honors the Hanami tradition of Japan, where people enjoy the beauty of abundant cherry blossom trees. Show more
