Hanami: Celebrating the Cherry Blossom-Viewing Season at BBG

Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival April 30-May 1, 2011

Release Date: January 19, 2010

Brooklyn, NY—From April 2 to May 1, 2011 Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) will celebrate Hanami at BBG—the Japanese cultural tradition of viewing and cherishing the cherry blossom season. From the first buds, to the luminous blossoms, to the snowfall of petals cascading from the trees and blanketing the ground, visitors of all ages will marvel at the Garden’s iconic collection of Japanese flowering cherry trees, the world’s largest and most diverse outside Japan.

During Hanami, visitors can take free Seasonal Highlights Tours Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m., focusing on the ethereal beauty of BBG’s Japanese plant collections and specialty gardens, including the exquisite flowering cherries, the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum, and the Bonsai Museum. BBG’s web-based exhibit, CherryWatch, will track the blossom display in real time and provide a detailed guide to the history, cultivation, and care of BBG’s 220-tree cherry collection. With 42 species blooming at different times to create a spectacular four-week display, CherryWatch is a great resource to monitor when the first blossoms of each species appear, and to plan visits throughout Hanami.

The four weeks of Hanami culminate on Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1st in the Garden’s Sakura Matsuri festival—an ecstatic two-day celebration of nature, renewal, and Japanese culture. Over the course of its 30-year history, Sakura Matsuri has evolved into one of the city’s most anticipated weekend events, as tens of thousands of visitors experience Japanese culture through music, dance, martial arts, food, manga, workshops and demonstrations; and, of course, the breathtaking beauty of the fleeting blossoms. Popularly referred to as “New York City’s rite of spring”, Sakura Matsuri is the nation’s largest event in a public garden. Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 30; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.

Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an independent nonprofit institution committed to education, research, and the display of horticulture. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, the Garden is home to over 12,000 kinds of plants and hosts more than 725,000 visitors annually. Learn more at bbg.org.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Garden is closed on Mondays except public holidays. The Garden is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (65 and older) and students with ID. Children under 12, all school groups, and Garden members are admitted free at all times. From November 9 to March 11, the Garden is free to the public on weekdays and until noon on Saturdays. For directions, please visit bbg.org/visit/directions.

Learn what’s happening at Brooklyn Botanic Garden at bbg.org/visit/calendar, read the Garden’s blog at bbg.org/news, and see photos of current highlights at bbg.org/bloom.