Blossoms After Dark envelops David Lam Park in enchanting lights at this year's Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
Under leadership of new executive director Andrea Arnot, revival of pre-pandemic event features blossom-pink snacks, live music, and roaming performers
Spring Lights Illumination at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
Sakura Illumination. Photo by LOBO Photography
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival presents Blossoms After Dark at David Lam Park from March 29 to 31 from 6 pm to 10 pm
TECHNICOLOUR CHERRY TREES, light-up cotton candy, and LED-flow performers: David Lam Park is about to transform into a totally magical terrain for Blossoms After Dark, a main attraction at this year’s Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
The three-night celebration illuminates over 100 trees on the west side of the park with a mix of string lights, lanterns, spotlights, and projection mapping. It’s a revival of an event from the fest’s pre-pandemic years: Spring Lights Illumination (previously called Sakura Illumination), which hasn’t been held since a one-night 2018 iteration at Queen Elizabeth Park.
The event returns to the city courtesy of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s new executive director, Andrea Arnot, who assumed the role in June 2023. Speaking to Stir by phone from the festival’s office where she’s just received an exciting delivery of stickers, conversation cards, and lanterns, Arnot reflects on all the heartwarming cherry blossom experiences that are about to unfold.
“We’ve all been huddled up during long, gray, rainy winters here in Vancouver, and having an event that’s outdoors is kind of like ‘spring is here’,” Arnot says. “We’re coming outdoors, we’re waking up, we’re connecting with our neighbors, connecting with our friends. I think that’s what makes it a big draw for people.”
Ash Bubbles. Photo by Jade Weekes
Ember Arts Society. Photo by James Deane
Arnot previously served as executive director of the Vancouver Pride Society from 2016 to 2021, and as co-executive director of Vancouver-based non-profit Rainbow Refugee (which helps 2SLGBTQIA+ refugees enter Canada) for a year following that. She was doing consulting work up until the executive director opportunity with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival came along.
“It will be an enchanted walk-through with illuminated blossoms, and we have surprises around every corner,” Arnot hints of Blossoms After Dark. Roving performers and photo opportunities add pockets of excitement to the grounds; Ash Bubbles is creating ethereal glowing bubbles, and Ember Arts Society is trading its usual fiery batons for LED versions in stunning dance-and-light flow shows.
Festival-goers can see the Haiku Exhibition for the first time at Blossoms After Dark, which is a collaborative artwork inspired by the 2023 winner of the Haiku Invitational. The display will appear at various events over the course of the month.
There’s live music in store, too, with performances by harpist Elisa Thorn, cellist Marina Hasselberg, violinist Meredith Bates, classical guitarist Mark Richardson, and Sam Shoichet’s lively three-musician Roma Swing Ensemble.
Plenty of food options are on standby for snacking throughout the park. Gary’s Kettle Corn is doling out aptly themed pink popcorn for the occasion, Taco Nori is serving up crispy, crunchy sushi tacos, and Planted Love is cooking vegan Middle Eastern bites. The Chai Wagon and Coffee Bike are on site as well, for a little caffeine boost as the night shines on.
Andrea Arnot.
This year’s Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 29 to April 25, with plenty more events to catch. The annual Big Picnic celebration takes place on March 30 from 9:30 am to 4 pm at David Lam Park, and the Sakura Days Japan Fair is at VanDusen Botanical Garden on April 13 and 14. There are three pop-up events with drumming, dancing, and more taking place around the city: a festival precursor at Yaletown’s Bill Curtis Square on March 28, another at Burrard Station on April 2, and a finale at the West End’s Jim Deva Plaza on April 6.
A few Tree Talks & Walks offer guided tours of cherry blossoms in the city, and Bike the Blossoms takes participants on a scenic cycling path through the trees. Plus, a number of different workshops allow festival-goers to try a hand at painting, haiku, and pottery.
Keep an eye out for a conversation corner on festival grounds, too, with pink park benches, conversation-starter cards, and volunteers to help kickstart connections. The festival’s purpose really boils down to interacting with one another, Arnot shares, and indulging in lively spring events together.
“I think our cherry planning team this year is really excited about creating opportunities for people to connect with each other,” Arnot says. “We know that Vancouver has been sort of dubbed a lonely city for many people, and it’s difficult to make friends. So we’ve specifically designed activities for people to be able to connect through art, or conversation, or activity. That’s what we’re really encouraging people to do.”
That gentle encouragement might be just what Vancouverites need to emerge from another year of winter hibernation. 
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