Cherry Blossom Festival Lineup Set

The 37th annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is back, with activities and attractions set to again attract residents from throughout New Jersey to Branch Brook Park.

And this year, officials believe the namesake trees will even be in bloom.

Announcing the schedule for the 2013 Festival, officials said they had it on the best scientific authority available that the cherries would be blossom during the festival. Last year, the majority of the trees blossomed before the festival started.

Local officials including Newark City North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos, Jr., Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, joined County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo in the announcement of the schedule of events along with David Norton of Aetna on Wednesday.  

The 37th annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival, sponsored by Aetna, kicks off Saturday, April 6 and ends Sunday, April 20 and is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.

In addition to the scheduled events, the Branch Brook Park event will feature guided trolley tours on April 5, 7, 12, 13 and April 19-21. In addition, self guided historical cell phone tours will be available every day.