Celebrating Cherry Blossoms in Tinseltown
Who says that you have to go to Japan or Washington D.C. to celebrate the famous cherry blossoms? L.A.'s Little Tokyo district pays tribute to the delicate blooms at its seventh annual festival, held the weekend of 4-6 April. Thousands of visitors descend upon this free, family friendly event to enjoy live entertainment, food and crafts, and to otherwise pay homage to the cherry blossoms. The main stage is the setting for opening ceremonies and the bestowment of numerous awards as well as for live entertainment. At the cultural pavilion you can view exhibits of traditional Japanese crafts such as elaborate sashiko stitching and shibori textiles.
Back on the streets, shift your focus from demonstrations of distinctive ondo folk-style dancing to mesmerizing kick-up-the-action martial arts that include judo, kung fu, aikido, and sumo wrestling. Other diverse enjoyments consist of kimono and runway fashion shows, Polynesian dance, Hawaiian slack-key guitar music, and a children's craft area and fun zone. Vendors will be offering everything from sushi-making equipment and bonsai plants to handmade clothing and finely honed crafts. In addition to the surrounding restaurants of Little Tokyo, festivalgoers can enjoy Japanese, Thai, Hawaiian, and Mexican fare--even freshly squeezed lemonade and cotton candy. And, indeed, there are actual cherry trees. Many can be viewed at Pasadena's Victory Park (2575 Paloma St., Pasadena).
For information: http://www.cherryblossomfestivalsocal.org