In honor of the Cherry Blossom’s bloom, the Park District will host a free Hanami Sakura Celebration at Jackson Park in partnership with cultural partners, including the Japanese Arts Foundation, the Japanese Culture Center, the Consulate General of Japan in Chicago and the Jackson Park Advisory Council. The event will feature drum and dance performances by Tsukasa Taiko and Shubukai, and origami, Yukata dressing, garden tours, and Hanami sketching will also be part of the programming on Saturday, April 22 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. For details, visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com, rain or shine. In 2013, the first batch of trees were completely installed in time to commemorate the 120th Anniversary of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, and another 50 trees were added in the three years to follow by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago in honor of their 50th Anniversary and the relationship between Chicago and Japan. In the fall of 2022, the Park District planted an additional 34 cherry blossom trees bordering the Museum of Science and Industry steps to bring the total to 190. It may take a season or two for these trees to get acclimated to the space and to start blooming.

Photo Credit: Chicago Park District