The underlying purpose of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is a simple one embracing citizens of all ages. We are blessed to have these trees and the more closely we look at them and the more we learn, the more enjoyment they give us. Vancouverites with their healthy outdoor lifestyle now have even more choices with Bike the Blossoms, guided interpretative Tree Talks & Walks tours, and picnicking under cherry blossoms at The Big Picnic. The result of these activities was Neighborhood Maps an online interactive viewing map displaying on desktops where some of the best cherry blossom sites are located in Vancouver’s 23 neighbourhoods and across Metro Vancouver. In the Spring of 2022, the Festival will launch a new mobile-friendly feature, Mobile Maps. Like a cherry compass, it will direct you to the cherry blossoms nearest to your location right on your phone! Additionally, the Festival published a field guide about our 54 different cultivars entitled Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver by Douglas Justice.

The ephemeral nature of the blossoms reminds us of our own fleeting lives and inspires us to seize the moment and celebrate life now. In our universal response to their beauty, we are united in community. Reminiscent of the famous Issa haiku, truly ‘there is no stranger under the cherry tree.’