In Bloom: Vancouver’s Cherry Blossoms.
February 22 2021, Mercedes-Benz Vancouver
What’s better than coming across a bright, blooming street full of cherry trees on a warm spring day in Vancouver? Not much, if you ask us.
With the month of March upon us, those stunning neighbourhood trees are finally starting to erupt in colour, and the city’s 15th annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival will be there to help you enjoy them.
Exploring the Blooms
Want to take in the blossoms by car or foot, but are unsure of where to start? The festival website provides a handy “Blooming Now” section for blossom-hunters and lists specific street names and bloom dates from last year so you can ballpark a visit to those routes in advance. It also has an educational component, helping curious horticulturalists identify specific tree types—how to tell the difference between “Whitcomb” cherries and “Okame”, for instance.
No matter where you reside, there are sure to be some sweet pink beauties popping up on a neighbourhood street near you. (Want a new adventure, while you’re at it? Check out our Tourist in Your Own Neighbourhood post for some varied walking route ideas.)
A Virtual Experience
Although the cherry trees are perfectly placed throughout the city for anyone to view, the Cherry Blossom Festival has a core purpose: “To actively engage diverse communities through accessible arts and culture that celebrates the transcendent fragile beauty of the cherry blossoms, and to sustain and renew Vancouver’s cherry tree heritage.” It acts as a protector of sorts for our precious trees, and unites festival-goers in a wonderfully interactive way.
This year, the festival is amping up its springtime event roster by adding in some new virtual experiences for all to enjoy. An online gallery called BC Blossom Photo Watch will compile photos from the public into a virtual mosaic for easy armchair viewing. Another activity is aimed at getting the creative juices flowing: the Haiku Invitational, which invites anyone and everyone to try their hand at writing the short-form poems with Japanese origins, with the winning entries to be featured in various newsletters and publications.
At the end of April, a special short film titled In Full Bloom will be released to the public, promising a stunning and meditative virtual approach to the city’s blossoms. The film will guide viewers through the tangled branches of cherry trees in full bloom, then lift the eye to float above them. A collaboration by drone pilot Patrick Weir and Peacemaker Filmworks, the short gives access to anyone looking to enjoy the season’s natural beauty. On April 25, a virtual fundraiser will grant guests the opportunity to view In Full Bloom before the general public while enjoying a special take-out meal prepared by celebrated local restaurants.
