As we petal into spring, The Japanese Friendship Garden San Diego (JFG) in Balboa Park is celebrating the changes with its annual Cherry Blossom Festival . The one-weekend event — Friday, March 10-Sunday, March 12 — occurs when cherry blossoms, or sakura , are in peak bloom.
The festival invites guests to partake in the art of hanami — the tradition of flower viewing — and celebrates sakura for their beauty and impermanence. This sentiment is captured in the 2023 Blossom Festival design created by Allan S. Manzano . Visitors can also expect food vendors , merchants, sake , and performances throughout the event.
General admission tickets cannot be purchased online during the festival, but can be purchased at the entrance — though entry is limited from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Be prepared, the line gets very long, but once you’re in, you can stay until closing. VIP tickets and 3-day passes can be purchased online and let you skip the general admission line.