But you can celebrate these brilliant blooms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
It’s that refreshing and magical time of the year in New York City. April 1st marks the month-long season of the gorgeous blooming cherry blossoms. And it’s also time to celebrate Japanese culture with the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival. Unfortunately, this year’s festival has been canceled. But there are still plenty of blossoms to enjoy at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and throughout New York City all month long.
Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, Canceled
As the New York Times reported, the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, usually responsible for attracting thousands of visitors every year, has been canceled for a third straight year. But don’t let that keep you from enjoying this magical time of year.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is home to more than 200 cherry trees, many of which you can see lining the gorgeous Cherry Esplanade. And the BGG has extended its hours and is offering cherry blossom programs for three weeks in April for those who want to explore the magic.
- CHERRYWATCH - PrebloomFirst BloomPeak BloomPost-Peak Bloomdiagram of tree locations
- Weekends in Bloom - Weekends, April 22–May 14
- Hanami Nights - Tuesday, April 25 & Wednesday, April 26 | 5–9 p.m. | Ticketed Event
- Spring Gala 2023 - Tuesday, June 6, 2023, | 5:30–11:30 p.m. | Ticketed Event
Pink Petals & Delightful Spring Aromatics
Take in the sights and aromatics of the more than 40,000 ornamental cherry trees in and around New York City all April long. You can even use the New York City Street Tree Map to help you find precise locations of blooming cherry trees!
Here are just a few of the hotspots to enjoy, with glorious pink petals and stunning selfie backdrops!
- Sakura Park
- Riverside Park Cherry Walk
- Marcus Garvey Park
- Central Park (Between 72nd Street and 96th Street)
- Union Square
- Washington Square Park
- New York Botanical Garden
- Pelham Bay Park
Understanding Peak Blooms
The timeframe for peak blooms may vary depending on changing temperatures and weather patterns. However, you can check in with the CherryWatch Tracker, provided by the BBG, to see each morning which trees are about to reach peak bloom.
- There’s pre-bloom, which is when you’ll spot those brilliantly colored buds.
- There’s first bloom, which is classified when roughly 10% of the tree’s flowers are actually open.
- There’s peak bloom, which is when there’s only about 10% of the tree’s flowers not yet open.
These blooming patterns are hard to predict, so check the tracker and be ready with your camera to take a stroll.
Welcome the spring season with a few morning or afternoon walks through the many NYC parks to experience the cherry trees in bloom!
And for all other event planning needs, you can rely on the experienced pros at EMRG Media to make every New York City event or experience incredible!
