Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Southern California
Spring is here, and so are the cherry blossoms! These stunning pink and white blooms only stick around for a short time (typically February-March), making them extra special. Across Southern California, families can enjoy free festivals, cultural performances, and hands-on activities to celebrate the season.
What’s so special about Cherry Blossoms?
In Japan, cherry blossoms (sakura) symbolize new beginnings and the beauty of life’s fleeting moments. People gather under the trees for hanami (flower viewing)—a tradition that’s been around for centuries!
2025 Cherry Blossom Festivals in Southern California
Cherry Blossom Festival
Japanese Friendship Garden | San Diego
March 13-16, 2025
Tickets: $18-25
Celebrate the tradition of Hanami with an exciting lineup of special performances, community art, wall of lanterns, vendors, food, beer and sake garden. The children’s area will feature fun activities, temporary tattoos, and a sticker bar. Enjoy performances from Taiko drummers, martial arts, lion dance, geisha opera singer, and more.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Shoseian Teahouse | Glendale
March 16, 2025 | 10am – 3pm
FREE
This free annual festival features tea ceremonies (separate ticket purchase), martial arts, music, dance, calligraphy, sumo, kimono booth, bonsai display, cultural exhibits, and food trucks. (Event link says ‘sold out,’ but that refers to the tea ceremonies. No ticket purchase is needed for the festival.)
Cherry Blossom Cultural Festival
Columbia Park | Torrance
March 30, 2025 | 11am – 4pm
FREE
Enjoy a day of culture, community, and celebration with live Pan-Asian performances, handcrafted goods, and food from local vendors. This family-friendly event also features free art projects and interactive activities.
Japanese Cherry Blossom Family Festival
Bowers Museum | Santa Ana
April 6, 2025 | 11am – 3pm
FREE
Celebrate springtime and Japanese culture at this free family festival featuring traditional dance, taiko drumming, and live music performances. Watch a candy sculptor craft intricate edible art, enjoy mochi samples, and take part in face painting and hands-on art activities like fish printing, origami, and paper fan decorating. Performances include violin, koto, and string ensembles, plus a live ikebana flower arrangement demo.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Barnes Park | Monterey Park
April 12-13, 2025
FREE
Experience Japanese culture with traditional dance performances, taiko drums, martial arts, the art of the tea ceremony, and more. Discover handmade crafts and enjoy games and activities for children.
Cherry Blossom Festival
Plaza West Covina
April 26, 2025 | 2-7pm
FREE
Celebrate the beginning of spring with traditional music and dance performances, taiko drums, martial arts, and shop a variety of vendors.
Dr. Hata Memorial Cherry Blossom Festival
El Camino College | Torrance
2025 Date TBA
FREE
This annual festival celebrates the beginning of spring. Previous events featured haiku poetry shared by students, performances, and refreshments. The festival is named after Dr. Nadine Ishitani Hata, the former VP of Academic Affairs, who was instrumental in bringing the cherry trees to campus (graciously donated by American Honda).
Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Southern California
Descanso Gardens
La Cañada Flintridge
Find ‘Pink Cloud’ cherry blossoms in the Japanese Garden. Their show-stopping ‘Beni Hoshi’ and ‘AKebono’ cherry blossoms will be flowering soon. Stay tuned for updates on their Instagram or visit their Bloom Calendar to see what’s blooming in real time.
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
San Marino
Beautiful pink trees are here! Find peach and cherry blossoms throughout the Chinese and Japanese Gardens. Be sure to check what’s blooming before you go.
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
California State University, Long Beach
This local hidden gem has cherry blossom trees that began blooming late-February. Garden admission is free, but reservations are required.
South Coast Botanic Garden
Palos Verdes Peninsula
Find the Taiwan Cherry, First Lady in Staghorn, and Pink Cloud scattered throughout the garden near the Amphitheater, Amphitheater Lawn, and Sakura Garden. The garden posts a blog every week showing what’s blooming.
Columbia Park
Torrance
This beloved local park features beautiful blossoming trees. The city hosts an annual Cherry Blossom Festival every year.
Gloria Molina Grand Park
Los Angeles
The Sakura Grove represents a living symbol of friendship between the people of Japan and LA County. The blossoms were a gift from the Japanese Consulate in LA in 2012 when the park had just opened.
Japanese Friendship Garden
San Diego
This 12-acre garden features a 200 cherry tree grove and hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival every year. Check their website for their ‘Current Cherry Blossom Bloom Percentage’ — which is at 40% as of this post.
Categories: Blog
This post was written by Alina Na
