Pink and white cherry blossoms explode every spring, bringing breathtaking beauty to the Schuylkill riverbanks and Philadelphia’s public parkland. For the 16 th year, the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia proudly presents the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia from April 1 through April 26, 2013, celebrating the season when thousands of cherry trees burst into bloom in historic Fairmount Park. This canopy of delicate flowers, first planted in 1926 as a gift to nation by the people of Japan, is an annual inspiration to photographers and a “must see” natural wonder calling everyone outdoors.

The events of the Festival celebrate Philadelphia’s rich cultural connections with the art, music, food, natural beauty and industry of Japan. Residents and guests to the Delaware Valley can experience the wonders of Japan in a calendar packed with superior international performances and time-honored arts and craft. The 2013 lineup presents exciting cultural events beginning April 1, with attractions, many of them free, from Center City to the Main Line, Old City to Fairmount Park, that appeal to all of the senses.

Festival events officially begin on April 1, including performances of traditional Japanese dance, music and percussion, interactive experiences with the arts of origami and flower arrangement, physical displays in the forms of a 5K run and martial arts, and irresistible features of Japanese pop culture. The central inspiration is the fragile beauty of the sakura, the Japanese name for the ornamental cherry blossoms which inspire all of this cultural activity.

Family Friendly Events during the Festival:

Sakura Sunday on April 14 at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center is the centerpiece event of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, offering a full day of food, live music and dance performances, athletics, a 5K run, crafts and activities for all ages.

JAPANESE CULTURE WEEK in Center City at the rotunda of Liberty Place, 1625 Chestnut Street in from noon to 2 p.m. FREE

• Monday, April 1: Japanese drummers at noon and the art of flower arranging.
• Tuesday, April 2: origami paper ornaments. From paper cranes to fancy boxes, children will have fun making something to take home.
• Wednesday, April 3: a few lucky children will be selected for kimono dressing.
• Thursday, April 4: calligraphy day. Children can learn how to write Japanese characters in ink, and take home a keepsake.

A Taste of Japan at Maido - Saturday, April 6, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maido, at 6 N. Narberth
Avenue in Narberth, PA 19072, is the only authentic Japanese market in the Delaware Valley. Sample Japanese snacks and comfort food and see Maido’s vast selection of familiar “Hello Kitty” merchandise and other popular Japanese toys. FREE

STORY HOURS for School-Aged Children at local library branches. Enjoy a Japanese story and craft program geared towards school-age children. FREE

• Center City – Wednesday, April 3, 4 – 5 p.m. Main Branch, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine Street, Ground Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Conshohocken, PA – Wednesday, April 3, 7 – 8 p.m. Conshohocken Free Library, 301 Fayette Street Conshohocken, PA 19428
• Springfield Delaware County, PA - Thursday, April 4, 4 to 5 p.m. Springfield Township Library, 70 Powell Road Springfield, PA 19064
• Media, PA – Tuesday April 9, 11 a.m. to noon. Media-Upper Providence Library, 1 E. Front Street Media, PA 19063
• Yeadon, PA – Thursday, April 11, 10 – 11 a.m. Yeadon Public Library, 809 Longacre Blvd. Yeadon, PA 19050
• Southwest Philadelphia – Thursday, April 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Free Library of Philadelphia Eastwick Branch, 2851 Island Avenue Philadelphia, PA, 19153
• Swarthmore, PA – Thursday, April 18, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. Swarthmore Public Library 421 Park Avenue Swarthmore, PA, 19081
• Cherry Hill, NJ – Tuesday, April 23, 1 – 2 p.m. Cherry Hill Public Library, 1100 Kings Highway North Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

MOVIES AND GRAPHIC ARTS for ‘Tweens and Teens

• Film screening of “The Secret World of Arrietty” Thursday, April 11, 6:30 p.m. at the University of Pennsylvania’s Claudio Cohen Hall, 402, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. English language animation from the studio of Japan’s most renowned Studio Ghibli. FREE
• Anime/Manga Discussion for youth in 5th grade through high school. Thursday, April 25, 3:30 pm. Free Library of Philadelphia Greater Olney Branch, 5501 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120

Additional events throughout April include art exhibitions and film, Japanese food tastings, an amateur sushi-making class and competition, and Japanese storytelling at area libraries. A complete listing of events is available online at http://www.subarucherryblossom.org, and event information is available by calling 215-790-3810.

Events can also be found on my Events Calendar