Get ready, Denver! The annual Cherry Blossom Festival returns this weekend at Sakura Square for its 50th year!

Organized by the Sakura Foundation and Tri-State/Denver Buddist Temple, the festival celebrates Japanese culture, music, dance, exhibits, arts and crafts, and food. It also serves as the largest fundraiser for programs of the Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple and Sakura Foundation.

The festival is free to attend and will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 23.

We've included the schedule of events for each day below:

  • Saturday, June 22:
    • 11 a.m. - Opening Ceremony and Performance by the Inter-tribal dance group
    • 11:20 a.m. - Taiko with Toni and Lance - Japanese drums
    • 11:55 a.m. - DBT Dharma School of Dance
    • 12:15 p.m. - Alan Fasick - Hawaiian Slack-key guitar
    • 12:35 p.m. - DBT Karaoke Group - Enika singing
    • 1:05 p.m. - Chinagu Eisa Hawaii - Okinawa drum group
    • 1:50 p.m. - Sakura Kenhamo Company - Japanese instrumental music
    • 2:10 p.m. - Karate Plus - sword demonstration
    • 2:25 p.m. - Rocky Mountain Sankyoku - koto instrumental music
    • 2:45 p.m. - Mirai Daiko - Taiko drum group
    • 3:10 p.m. - Shobukan Dojo/Foothills Budokai - martial arts
    • 3:35 p.m. - Showji - Vocal performance
    • 4 p.m. - Pikes Peak Yosakoi Obirin - Japanese festival dance group
    • 4:25 p.m. - Royals Dance Team
    • 4:40 p.m. - Miki Saito - Shinobue flute playing
    • 5 p.m. - Denver Taiko - Taiko drum group
  • Sunday, June 23:
    • 11 a.m. - DBT Dharma School of Dance
    • 11:20 a.m. - Showji - Vocal performance
    • 11:40 a.m. - Pikes Peak Yosakoi Obirin - Japanese festival dance group
    • 12:05 p.m. - DBT Judo demonstration
    • 12:30 p.m. - Tomiki Sport Aikido Association / DBT Aikido demonstration
    • 12:55 p.m. - DBT Minyou-kai - Japanese folk dance
    • 1:20 p.m. - DBT Karaoke Group - Enka singing
    • 1:50 p.m. - One World Taiko / Kodomo Taiko - Japanese drums
    • 2:15 p.m. - Miki Saito - Shinobue flute playing
    • 2:30 p.m. - Colorado Budokan - Karate demonstration
    • 2:50 p.m. - Boulder Taiko - Japanese drums

In addition, the event will feature a ton of vendors, artists, and more. There are so many that we won't post them all, but you can find them here.

For more information on the Cherry Blossom Festival, visit CherryBlossomDenver.org.

Kristina Shriver
Director of Our Community Now. When not writing or reading, Kristina likes to dance like no one is watching and enjoys speaking in vague movie references/quotes, which only a select few in her circle truly understand. A huge nerd, she loves attending comic book conventions (in costume, of course!) and engaging in geek-fueled conversations with anyone who is willing to listen to her ramble. She also dedicates her spare time to supporting various mental health organizations.
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