Brooklyn Botanic Garden ^[1] hosted its annual Cherry Blossom Festival, Sakura Matsuri ^[2], this weekend. Never having been there before (largely due to the rather long subway ride from Astoria) and having an affection for these short-lived flowers, I decided to check it out.

I had been forewarned that this festival gets crowded and it certainly was. With so many people, I was barely able to get through the crowds at times. But it was definitely worth it for the beautiful views.

The cherry blossoms weren’t the only colorful displays at the gardens. People dressed as geishas and anime characters strolled among the trees. A dance troupe performed a Martha Graham-like display on a grassy field, while a booth sold pillows made to look like sushi. Japanese pop music and warrior displays occurred in a white tent set up along a row of cherry trees. All this combined with the beautiful weather made this a highly enjoyable outing, despite the crowds.

Located right next to Prospect Park ^[3], the gardens host frequent events. I plan to come back for Jazz and Roses ^[4].