Celebrate Columbus’s Cherry Blossoms

As the Cherry Blossom Festival wraps up, there is still plenty of fun to be had

By Joe Frye  

Famed for its Cherry Blossoms, thousands travel to Washington D.C. every spring to see the Tidal Basin turn a light pink color and celebrate Japanese culture. For those who can’t make the trip to the nation’s capital, Columbus has been celebrating its own Cherry Blossom festival since March 24. Now in its fourth year, the festival has the distinction of being named one of the best Cherry Blossom Festivals in the nation by USA Today. As the festival begins to wrap up, there is still plenty of fun to be had before it ends on April 14.  

Much like the 3,000 trees gifted by Japan to the U.S. and President William Howard Taft in 1912, the trees in Columbus also come as a gift. Through the Ohio State University East Asian Studies Department, Columbus received 20 cherry trees from Japan to celebrate the centennial of the original offering. In the years since, the state, particularly under the direction of former Governor Bob Taft— who happens to be the great-grandson of President Taft— has expanded the collection, making cherry blossom spotting an activity throughout much of central Ohio.  

In the Columbus area, the trees can be found in Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and activities are planned throughout. In addition to hanami, or flower viewing, the final weekend of the festival will feature events like “The Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live” at the Palace Theater (April 12) and IVO’s 4th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival Main Event at the Columbus Main Library (April 14). Those looking to get into even more floral fun should check out Ohara Ikebana. (April 12), where they can learn how to arrange flowers in a traditional Japanese way.  

More information on the final weeks of the festival, along with a downloadable “passport” including a list of hanami spots is available on the festival’s website.