Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival hosts annual Big Picnic at David Lam Park, March 30
Taiko drumming, yoga, paper fan-painting, pink dumplings, and more on offer underneath the park’s 100 Akebono cherry blossom trees
The Big Picnic at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Photo by Allen Lau
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival presents The Big Picnic at David Lam Park on March 30 from 9:30 am to 4 pm
HANAMI, WHICH TRANSLATES TO “flower viewing”, is the millennium-old Japanese cultural tradition of gathering to observe the natural beauty of cherry blossom trees. Nowadays, the celebration is often accompanied by food, songs, and Haiku writing in local parks.
Inspired by Hanami, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival hosts The Big Picnic in David Lam Park each year. This time around, there’s much for visitors to enjoy at the free outdoor event.
The day begins bright and early at 9:30 am with a peaceful hour-long yoga session led by Carolyn Anne Budgell, amidst the park’s 100 Akebono cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The Consulate-General of Japan launches main events afterwards at 10:45 am with Kagami-biraki (a traditional sake barrel-breaking ceremony).
Performances in store throughout the day on the Cherry Jam Stage are funk-rhythm band Bungalow, singer-songwriter Desirée Dawson, world-latin band Mazacote, and the Kárà-Kátà Afrobeat Band. On the nearby Cherry Down Stage, there’s the Uzume Taiko drumming troupe, Squamish Nation Spakwus Slolem (Eagle Song Dancers), Southern Wave Okinawan Music and Dance Society, and ROOTS Peruvian Dance.
Throughout the park, there are plenty of activities to check out. Try a hand at crafting cardstock paper flowers, making cedar bark bracelets, and painting intricate paper fans, and stop by a selection of artisan vendor booths.
Kat Single-Dain leads BreakOUT, an immersive communal dance experience with audio transmitted through headphones, at several points throughout the day. There are also two drum workshops taking place; one by Red Fox Healthy Living Society’s Drum & Pow Wow Dance Group from 11 am to 2 pm, and another by Aboriginal women’s hand-drum group Daughters of the Drum from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Don’t forget the food trucks. There are eight different options to try out throughout the day-long event, including Disco Cheetah, Taco Nori, Jerk Shack, Planted Love, La Glace Ice Cream, Coffee Bike. Standouts are Gary’s Kettle Corn with cherry blossom-pink popcorn, and House of Yee Fine Foods serving up creative pink dumplings.
So spread out a picnic blanket, sit back, and relax at David Lam Park this weekend; the forecast promises sunny skies. 
Yoga at The Big Picnic. Photo by Allen Lau
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