47th annual "Sakura Matsuri” takes place June 22-23.

The 47th annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a two-day celebration of Japanese American culture. The event takes place on June 22-23, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day.

Held in downtown Denver at the Buddhist Temple, located at Sakura Square on Lawrence Street, the Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates with live entertainment, martial arts demonstrations, traditional food, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, and educational exhibits and demos. There will be food and Japanese goods for sale, and admission to the event is completely free. Taiko drumming, teriyaki chicken, Asian chicken salad, sushi, sake, green tea, and teriyaki burgers are just a few of the cultural treats to eat.

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The festival hosts a marketplace of 42 vendors selling Japanese artwork, jewelry, anime, fine art, clothing, and much more to browse through. Live art demonstrations will take place throughout the weekend, along with a karaoke booth. Though there will be no live cherry blossoms to view during the festival, there will be serval pieces of artwork and replicas on the stage throughout the weekend. 

This festival is presented by Denver Tri-State Buddhist Temple and the Sakura Foundation, and is one of the largest fundraisers for the temple. The event is run primarily with volunteer labor.

Paid parking is available on the corner of 19th and Lawrence, as well as several public lots and meters in the area. Parking meters are free on Sundays. Dogs are strongly discouraged as they are not allowed in the temple, service animals excluded. Sunscreen and water strongly recommended.

Have you been to the Denver’s Cherry Blossom Festival before? If so, what is your favorite part of this festival; the food, the entertainment, or the look into a different culture? Share with us in the comments below. And we'll see you there!