Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival
Frequently Asked Questions

Information on this page will be updated as necessary. Please check back for the latest information about this year’s festival.


When is the 2024 Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival?

Sakura Weekend, the festival’s centerpiece event, is taking place on Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, 2024, with a Festival Kick-off event on Friday, April 12, 2024. Sakura Weekend will feature music performances, cultural activities, a vendor market, beer garden, and more.

Additional events are scheduled throughout late March and the month of April at venues across the city of Philadelphia, including a very special vocal recital at the Philadelphia Ethical Society, a curated Japanese film series at Lightbox Film Center, cultural demonstrations, sushi classes and contests, and seminar presentations at local universities.

Where does the festival take place?

Sakura Weekend is held at the Horticulture Center and Centennial Arboretum in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. Please note that Sakura Weekend programs do not take place inside the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, which is also located nearby.

Additional festival programs are scheduled to take place at venues across the city of Philadelphia.

Is the Sakura Weekend festival happening rain or shine?

Yes, programs scheduled for Sakura Weekend will happen rain or shine. There is no rain date.

How do I get there?

Sakura Weekend is held at the Horticulture Center and Centennial Arboretum in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

  • Driving from the East
    Take Interstate 76 West to Montgomery Drive Exit (341). Turn left at light onto Montgomery Drive; follow signs to parking.
  • Driving from the West
    Take Interstate 76 East to Montgomery Drive Exit (341). Turn right onto Montgomery Drive; follow signs to parking.
  • Taxi/Uber/Lyft
    The recommended pick-up and drop-off location is 4300 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia 19131, across from Carousel House in Fairmount Park. Follow the walking path by the Please Touch Museum that leads directly to Lansdowne Drive and the back of Shofuso, approximately a 3 minute walk.
  • Biking
    Please note that the MLK Drive Bridge from the Art Museum is closed for renovations. Take a look at suggested detours here.
  • SEPTA
    Bus Routes 38, 40, 43, 64. Plan your trip with SEPTA Trip Planner.

Additional Cherry Blossom Festival programs are scheduled to take place at venues across the city of Philadelphia during late March and the month of April. Please check individual programs for specific directions and parking information.

Is there parking available?

Vehicles are not permitted to park at the Horticulture Center in Fairmount Park.

During Sakura Weekend, parking is available nearby for $10 per vehicle at The Mann Center (5201 Parkside Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19131). Free street parking is also available nearby on Lansdowne Dr., and additional paid parking is available along the Avenue of the Republics.

Is there an admission fee?

Admission to Sakura Weekend is not ticketed and is free and open to the public.

Admission requirements will vary for other festival programs scheduled during March and April.

Please note that during the festival, tickets will be required as usual to visit Shofuso. Tickets can be purchased up to three weeks in advance via the JASGP website. More Info >>

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Do I need a ticket to see the cherry blossoms?

Each spring, Philadelphia’s largest concentration of blossoming cherry trees can be found on the grounds of the Horticulture Center and Centennial Arboretum in West Fairmount Park, and a ticket is not required for access.

There is a small selection of cherry trees in the gardens at Shofuso, but most of the cherry blossoms in that area can be found outside the grounds of Shofuso, in the surrounding park, and are entirely accessible without needing a ticket.

Are the 10K and 5K road races happening this year?

The Cherry Blossom 10K and 5K road races will not be taking place during the 2024 festival.

Is there food and/or alcohol to buy?

Yes, there will be plenty of options. Food vendors from our in-person market, and a beer garden will be just outside Shofuso’s walls for the entire duration of the festival.

Can I bring food? Can I bring alcohol?

We encourage attendees to bring their own food and picnic in Fairmount park under the trees, for an authentic ohanami experience. Alcohol consumption is not permitted in West Fairmount Park outside of the designated beer garden area.

Are pets allowed?

Dogs are only permitted on a 6-foot leash on the grounds of the Horticulture Center at Fairmount Park.

When is this year’s peak bloom prediction?

The hundreds of Yoshino Cherry trees planted in West Fairmount Park and along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia are expected to reach peak bloom around the first week of April in 2024.

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