Japan Festival

Cherry Blossom Festival in Denver
2022/06/25 - 06/25   12:00 - 21:00
2022/06/26 - 06/26   12:00 - 19:00

Cherry Blossom Festival in Denver

Date and time
2022/06/25 - 06/25   12:00 - 21:00 2022/06/26 - 06/26   12:00 - 19:00
Visitors
35,000
Location
1255 19th St, Denver, Colorado 80202

About this event

Sakura Foundation and Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple are proud to present the 48th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Downtown Denver on June 25 and 26, 2022! This exciting festival highlights Japanese and Japanese American (JA) culture through music, dance, exhibits, arts and crafts and food.

About the Festival

Over the years, attendance at this popular festival has run between 25,000 and 35,000 visitors over the weekend. Festival goers are of all ages! Young families come to teach their children about a new culture….older kids come to watch the judo, aikido and dance performances….young adults come to buy anime and chow down on sushi…..adults come for the marketplace arts and crafts and delicious handmade food…..seniors come to watch the children of the Temple dance and sing.....and there is so much MORE!

The Cherry Blossom Festival (CBF) is the only outdoor Japanese/JA cultural festival in the region. People who flock to this festival appreciate the history of the Japanese people and the contributions of the JA community in Denver. Admission to the festival is FREE and open the public. Each year, the marketplace features 30 to 40 vendors selling wares and culinary treats. Other booths share information about JA organizations in the region.

Highlights!

 Outdoor performance stage featuring Japanese dancing, singing, instrumental music including Taiko drum ensemble performances, judo, karate and aikido demonstrations

 Cultural demonstrations and lectures on topics such as ikebana (flower arranging), bonsai (tree sculpting) and Buddhist teachings

 Japanese-themed marketplace featuring jewelry, artwork, pottery, accessories and clothing, and much more!

 A feast of Japanese cuisine including spam musubi, teriyaki chicken plate lunches, beef bowls, and edamame (soybeans). Don’t miss the food trucks, too!

 Sake and cold, refreshing local craft beer

 Our festival offers Fukubukuro Bags which consist of a variety of Japanese goodies such as restaurant coupons, branded Cherry Blossom Festival drink containers, masu (wooden sake cups), handmade crafts, and more! Each bag is unique and allows you to take some fun of the festival home with you! Quantities are limited, so advance purchase is suggested.

About the Festival Co-Presenters

Sakura Foundation (sakurafoundation.org) is a nonprofit organization whose charitable mission is to support and celebrate the Japanese and JA history, culture and community in metro Denver and surrounding areas. The Foundation supports a scholarship program, community grants, the Mirai Generations Leadership Program, Chibi no Gakko (cultural K-8 program offered every other year), and a variety of educational and entertaining cultural events throughout the year.

Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple (tsdbt.org) celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016. It is supported by a strong membership of approximately 300 families. Although the surrounding Lawrence Street landscape has changed drastically over the years, the Temple remains an important part of the Japanese American and downtown communities. It also serves as Headquarters for Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples and Sanghas in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico. The Cherry Blossom Festival is the Temple’s largest fundraiser of the year.