Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Fest Returns This Weekend

PROSPECT LEFFERTS GARDENS, NY — The annual festival celebrating the cherry blossoms and Japanese culture, Sakura Matsuri, returns to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden this weekend.

Sakura Matsuri will bring live music, artists, dancers, drummers, martial artists and more to the gardens on Saturday and Sunday for the festival, organizers said.

The Brooklyn tradition has nearly 60 events and performances throughout the park celebrating Japanese culture and the pink flowers that bloom in spring. Events span three stages and include taiko drumming, samurai sword demonstrations, a "Naruto" themed dance party, a cosplay fashion show, manga instructions and more.

Sakura Matsuri will also have a market selling Japanese sweets, dolls, kimonos and more set up in the Osborne Garden along with tea demonstrations in the Discovery Garden.

The festival also has live music performances from a diverse range of genres including grunge-rockers Bo Peep from Fukuoka, pop band Gaijin à Go-Go, the J-Music Ensemble which plays jazz inspired by anime and video game themes and Tokyo indie group The Molice, according to the schedule.

For a full list of Saturday's events click here. For a full list of Sunday's events click here.

Sakura Matsuri runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days, with the last admission being allowed at 5:30 p.m., according to the BBG.

Members of the garden get in for free and tickets are $30 for adults, $12 for students, $25 for seniors and free for children under 12. Organizers suggest buying tickets in advance online.

Image: Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Photos of attendees by Liz Ligon, photo of Dancejapan by Julie Markes.