Bloomfest at Branch Brook Park Sunday

Branch Brook Park will be pink Sunday for Bloomfest.

The event will run between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Branch Brook Park in Newark. It is part of the 37th annual Cherry Blossom Festival that will continue through April 20. 

Bloomfest will feature a packed schedule of events, including cultural demonstrations, children's activities, live music, a crafter's marketplace, food and much more.

Winners from the “Why My Essex County Park is Important to Me” essay contest for fourth-graders and “Cherry Blossom Poster Contest” for sixth-graders will be recognized on stage.

Bloomfest is free and will be held rain or shine.  
 
1-Mile Fun Run and Walk April 20 
Celebrate the arrival of spring and get fit with your family or friends. Children are encouraged to run individually or as a member of a school team. This is a free event. All participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt. The Fun Run and Walk registration will be held at 9 am, with the race at 10 am, beginning at the Prudential Concert Grove in the park’s Southern Division. 
                        
Essex County Family Day April 20 
The public is encouraged to come out and enjoy an afternoon of family-fun with a variety of events including a fishing derby, carnival games, music and other entertainment. Bring your own picnic lunch or purchase food from vendors who will be on site and enjoy the picturesque views overlooking the lake. Admission is free but food and other merchandise will be for sale. The Family Day will be held 11 am to 3 pm at the Prudential Center Concert Grove. 
                      
Cherry Blossom Trolley Tours, throughout the month 
Have knowledgeable guides take you on a 45-minute journey and point out 118 years of history hidden within Essex County Branch Brook Park’s structure and design.

Tickets are $5 person and can be purchased at the Welcome Center on the tour dates. Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. Tours leave on the hour.

Call 973-239-2495 to inquire about group tour bookings. The Trolley Tours will be held at the welcome center on Mill Street April 19-21 from noon to 4 p.m. 
 
History, driving directions, a complete list of activities and a web cam where the public can monitor the cherry trees for the peak of the bloom season can be accessed by visiting www.essexcountynj.org and clicking on the Cherry Blossom banner at the top of the home page.

More information can also be obtained by calling 973-268-3500.
 
The Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is hosted by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. It is sponsored by Aetna and Prudential.