VANCOUVER CHERRY BLOSSOM KICKS OFF APRIL 2 WITH THE BIG PICNIC AT DAVID LAM PARKLarge outdoor events mark return of Festival celebrating Vancouver’s 43,000 cherry trees
VANCOUVER, BC (March 29, 2022) – After two years of COVID-imposed restrictions, the Vancouver
Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF) is back with a wide array of programming, a new more accessible MobileMaps, a new collaboration with local First Nations and the return of its signature events, The Big Picnicwith Cherry Jam at David Lam Park (April 2) and Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden(April 9-10).
“A big reason for Vancouver’s global reputation as a beautiful city especially at springtime are the imagesof city parks and streets lined with cherry trees in peak bloom,” said Linda Poole, Founder and Artistic
Creative Director, VCBF. “We’re thrilled to welcome back some of our signature events that bring people
together in celebration and appreciation of the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossom that brightens thelives of everyone who sees them. We’re also delighted this year to infuse our Festival with West Coast
Indigenous culture and the works of visual artists from the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh
nations as well as representatives from each nation in our special opening ceremony on April 2nd.”
Consul General Hatori will acknowledgement Japan’s gift of sakura to the First Peoples of the Land andacknowledge this event takes place in the Unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and TsleilWaututh Nations.
The Big Picnic launch event takes place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at David Lam Park in Yaletown. It’s
Vancouver’s largest outdoor picnic, held under the blossoms of 100 Akebono cherry trees donated by
the Honorable Dr David Lam in 2010. This free family event will feature: an outdoor yoga class; a tree
dedication ceremony; a Kagami-biraki sake keg-breaking ceremony; a haiku installation celebrating the2021 Haiku Invitational winning poems by Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh nation visualartists; interactive arts activities; and the popular Cherry Jam Concert featuring a superb line-up of local
talent. Bring your own lunch, treat yourself to delicious meals from local food trucks, or savour aBlossom Bento from Private Sushi Chefs (Pre-order yours for pick-up at the picnic). The Big Picnic ispresented by TD Bank in partnership with the Yaletown BIA.
On April 9 and 10, the Sakura Days Japan Fair will return to the VanDusen Botanical Garden for a twoday celebration of all things Japan. From Japanese food, taiko drumming and theatre performances, towoodworking demonstrations, tea ceremonies, hands-on workshops (origami, calligraphy) and culturalperformances, Sakura Days offers a wide range of family-friendly activities set among the cherry
blossoms in one of the world’s most beautiful municipal gardens. Tickets are on sale now. Sakura Days
Japan Fair is presented in cooperation with the Japan Fair Association of Vancouver.
Across the Lower Mainland, cherry trees are blossoming in every shade of pink and white, bringing joy
to residents and visitors of all ages and announcing in spectacular fashion that spring has finally arrived.
To find all those beautiful trees, VCBF has launched Mobile Maps, an online tool showing where all thetrees are blossoming. Visit the VBCF.ca homepage on any device and zoom in and see, street by street,what type of cherry tree grows where, photos of them and the dates when they’re in peak bloom.
Supported by Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation.

VCBF invites everyone inspired by the cherry blossoms and the Festival’s pink and teal banners lining theBurrard Street Bridge and Oak Street to submit a haiku to its internationally acclaimed Haiku Invitational
poetry contest, presented by Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel. Each year, the Festival receives
thousands of entries from 40+ countries around the world from budding poets competing in six
categories: Best Vancouver, Best BC, Best Canada, Best United States, Best International and Best Youthhaiku, with additional haiku recognized in the Sakura Award and Honourable Mentions categories.
About the 2022 Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (April 1–23):
Presented by Coromandel Properties, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is a charitable not‐for‐profit
organization with the objective to educate and actively engage diverse communities through accessible
local arts and culture to celebrate the fragile beauty of the cherry blossom. To sustain and renew
Vancouver’s cherry tree heritage. Cherry blossom viewing has become a joyful Festival springtime
tradition in our city now as people marvel as 54 different varieties blossom across our city. For more
information, visit: www.vcbf.ca- 30 Contact:
Michael Dove
Executive Director
VCBF
604-679-1823
michael@vcbf.ca
Website: vcbf.ca
Follow us @ https://www.instagram.com/vancherryblossomfest/
Like us @ www.facebook.com/VancouverCherryBlossomFestival
Tweet us @ http://twitter.com/#!/OfficialVCBF

2022 VANCOUVER CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
EVENTS
April 1-23, 2022

APRIL 112 pm – 1 pm

STEPS FOR SAKURA
Lot 19, 855 West Hastings, Vancouver
Steps for Sakura is a new program that introduces everyone to our new mobilefriendly Neighbourhood Maps, Mobile Maps, which will now act as yourpersonal Cherry Compass! This pop-up event gets us all outdoors, to move, andconnect with nature in a way that benefits our bodies and our minds! Presentedby the DVBIA.

APRIL 210 am – 4:30 pm

THE BIG PICNIC featuring the Cherry Jam Concert
David Lam Park in Yaletown
The 2022 Festival kicks off with The Big Picnic at Yaletown’s spectacular David
Lam Park, home to 100 Akebono cherry trees! The full day of free family
activities will include: a tree dedication ceremony; a Haiku Installation by
Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh nation artists; interactive arts
activities; and the Cherry Jam Concert featuring a superb line-up of local talent.
It’s Vancouver’s largest outdoor picnic. Bring your own lunch, treat yourself todelicious meals from one of our food trucks, or enjoy a Blossom Bento from oneof our Sushi Chefs (Reservations required for Blossom Bento.) Presented by TD
Bank in partnership with the Yaletown BIA.

APRIL 9 & 10
10 am – 5 pm

SAKURA DAYS JAPAN FAIR
VanDusen Botanical Garden
Sakura Days Japan Fair is a two-day celebrates all things Japan. From Japanese
food, taiko drumming and theatre performances, to woodworking
demonstrations, tea ceremonies, hands-on workshops (origami, calligraphy) andcultural performances, Sakura Days offers a wide range of family-friendly
activities set among the cherry blossoms in one of the worlds most beautiful
municipal gardens. Tickets on sale now. Presented in cooperation with the Japan
Fair Association of Vancouver.

APRIL 196:00pm"DISCOVER HAIKU" ONLINE WORKSHOP
OnlineJoin Michael Dylan Welch, the founder of National Haiku Writing Month andcofounder of the American Haiku Archives, on an exploration of haiku poetry.

VANCOUVER CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
MONTH-LONG PROGRAMS
April 1-23, 2022

HAIKU INVITATIONAL
Online international poetry contest invites established and budding poets to submit up to two
unpublished haiku, which are judged in six categories: Best Vancouver, Best BC, Best Canada, Best
United States, Best International and Best Youth haiku. Presented by Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel.
Attracts thousands of entries from 40+ countries around the world each year. (March 2 – June 1). Tosubmit a haiku, visit the Festival haiku submission page.
TREE TALKS AND WALKS
Guided walks to discover historical, horticultural and cultural features of the cherry tree and otherextraordinary trees. Free, but registration required via our website.
April 2
April 2
April 8
April 9 & 10
April 17
April 2312 pm - 1:30 pm
2 pm - 3:30 pm
2 pm - 4 pm
Times TBD
1:30 pm- 3:30 pm
11 am - 12:30 pm

CONTACT:
Michael Dove
Executive Director
VCBF604-679-1823
michael@vcbf.ca

At The Big Picnic w/ Egan Davis, Manager of Parks, White RockAt The Big Picnic w/ Egan Davis, Manager of Parks, White RockAt Stanley Park with author Nina Shoroplova
At Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden
At West End Community Centre with Wendy Cutler
At UBC Botanical Garden with Douglas Justice- 30 -Website: vcbf.ca
Follow us @ https://www.instagram.com/vancherryblossomfest/
Like us @ www.facebook.com/VancouverCherryBlossomFestival
Tweet us @ http://twitter.com/#!/OfficialVCBF