Cherry Blossom Festival blooms again in Huntington Beach this weekend
The last Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival brought an estimated 70,000 visitors to Central Park in Huntington Beach.
Big crowds came to the celebration honoring Japanese and Japanese American culture.
“All of the food trucks ran out of food,” said Carmen Erber of the Huntington Beach Sister City Assn. with a laugh. “They were selling the rubber off the tires.”
Patrons have had to wait for an encore, but the free event returns to Central Park this weekend.
This is the first Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival since 2019, as the traditionally annual affair was canceled the last three years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Local creative agency Code Four returns to put on the event, which runs Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’re really excited to be able to bring it back this year,” Code Four marketing manager Taylor Donahue said. “A lot of people have been showing a positive reinforcement, so it makes it even better. We’re trying different things with our stages, and we’ve definitely come a long way as a company, so we’re excited to be able to share that.”
The festival is a spring celebration that coincides with the blooming of cherry blossom trees. They’re also known as Japanese cherry or sakura trees and known for their pink flowers.
It will feature more than 15 food vendors, Donahue said, and different craft and merchant vendors. Those looking for performances also will be pleased, as there is a full three-day set list that includes the popular taiko drumming and Japanese-inspired dancing and music.
A Sakura Night Light Show will be held Friday and Saturday nights, from 8:30 to 10 p.m.
Huntington Beach, in particular, has a decades-long history of Japanese American immigrants that is preserved partially through the Historic Wintersburg site.
The Cherry Blossom Festival was also inspired by and helps to fund an international student-exchange program between Huntington Beach and its sister city of Anjo, Japan. Frank Nakabayashi is president of the Huntington Beach Sister City Assn. executive board.
Erber, a past president of the Sister City Assn. who remains a board member, said six local high school students are part of this year’s exchange program and will be headed to Japan this summer. The students and their families will also be hosting Japanese students.
This year’s group includes Jack Ramsey, James Stevens and Emily de Silva of Huntington Beach High; Lexi Shepherd of Marina High, Kadin Cops of Pacifica Christian Orange County High and Angel Hernandez of Westminster High. They will be introduced during the festival at a ceremonial planting of cherry trees, set for 11 a.m. on Sunday.
“[The exchange program] has made an enormous change in many students’ lives,” Erber said. “Some have changed their college majors after benefiting from this program. It changed my son’s entire life, starting with a trip to Japan.”
Free parking for the festival is available along Talbert Avenue east of Goldenwest Street, or visitors can park at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex for $1.
For more information, visit occbfest.com.
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