Cherry Blossom Festival

Fans of taikō drumming, teriyaki chicken, and vintage Japanese textiles won’t want to miss this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival (in Japanese, Sakura Matsuri).

Held each year since 1972, the festival celebrates the Japanese American (JA) heritage and culture of Front Range residents through live entertainment, food and drink, arts and crafts, and informative exhibits and demonstrations.

Among the entertainment will be Denver Taiko, whose rousing drum performances have in past years drawn the festival’s biggest crowds, as well as performances of Japanese dance, koto and shamisen, and martial arts. Inside the Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple, attendees will find exhibits of ikebana (flower arrangement) and bonsai, and informative lectures on Buddhism. The temple’s gymnasium is home to a variety of food and drink, including the popular teriyaki chicken dinner plate, sushi, and delicious Japanese sweets called manju and mochi. Volunteers will be pouring complementary hot green tea, but if that’s too much heat on a warm summer day, head to one of our two beer gardens for a cold glass and a refreshing bowl of chilled somen (noodles). Be sure to try the special Sakura Matsuri craft brew made by our neighbor, Jagged Mountain Brewery. If sake is more to your liking, try Portland-based Sake One’s offerings.

Free entry and fun for people of all ages.

SAT 6/18 – 11a – 6p
SUN 6/19 – 11a – 4p

More info: http://cherryblossomdenver.org