Seattle’s cherry blossoms are in full bloom these days and that means its time to celebrate while you can. This year you have plenty of options between visiting the best spots to see blooms, the new U District Cherry Blossom Festival and of course the classic Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival. It kicks off this Friday and here’s what to expect at this years event.

From Friday until Sunday you’ll be able to visit the 47th annual Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival in person. The festival honors Prime Minister Takeo Miki’s gift of 1,000 cherry trees to Seattle in 1976. It’s a celebration of both the trees and Japanese culture.

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Expect to see Japanese arts, crafts, enjoy food, watch films, demos, and of course learn about Japanese culture. If you’re mostly interested in the live performances they will happen predominately on Saturday and Sunday. Beyond the performances you’ll also be able to see Ikebana displays in the Armory Loft Rooms. So no matter what you’re interested in there’s something to see or do.

To make things even better, this festival is free! So get out there this weekend and learn something new. Enjoy!

Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival

When: April 8th-10th
Where: Seattle Center Armory & Fisher Pavilion
Cost: Free