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Cherry Jam Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Festival kicks off with concert under blossoms

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off today with Cherry Jam, a noon-hour concert at downtown’s Burrard SkyTrain station featuring memorable performances.

After a word from the festival’s creative director Linda Poole, Zimbamoto took the stage with contemporary African music.

 

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Katari Taiko featured a battle of taiko drums.

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Sporting pink socks, the newest member of the festival’s executive team presented the Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver and introduced the next performers, NoriNori. The duo performed an energetic rendition of Sakura Sakura on the shamisen and taiko.

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MNGWA surprised the audience by starting with a very lively adaptation of The Simpsons TV show.

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On the concourse, vendors were providing information and tea samples.

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And, of course, the blossoms were there.  The green leaves had started to come out, which means the petals were falling gently on the crowd who was gathered to admire the blossoms.  This was a perfect beginning, considering the  the theme of this year’s festival is ‘Petal by Petal’.

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Check the festival’s community events page which list tons of activities to enjoy the blossoms such as a Big Picnic, Sakura Days Japan Fair, Bike the Blossoms, a haiku contest, and more!

Happy cherry blossom viewing!

 

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Cherry Jam Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Jam Downtown Concert

The 12th annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off today with a noon-hour concert at the Burrard skytrain station in Vancouver.

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Tetsu Taiko started the show, accompanied by Alcvin Ramos. The performance was amazing, very high in energy.

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The performance was followed by an original collaboration of Chinese er-hu player Ji Rong Huang with a tap dancer.

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The Cherry Jam concert host read the 2017 Haiku Invitational winning poems including:

the gasp
before the sigh . . .
cherry blossoms

Terri L. French
Huntsville, Alabama

VCBF Haiku Invitational 2017 Winner (United States)

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Kathryn Nicholson lead the Sound Eclectic Vocal Ensemble. The choir performed “Cherry Blossoms For You & Me!” a new song inspired by a haiku by poet laureate Oz Hershfield created especially for the Vancouver Sings One Song event. I’m sure we’ll have the chance to hear it again during the festival and sing it together.

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At the end of the concert, VCBF Director Linda Poole invited people to check the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival website for more information about the many activities (big picnic, tree talks and walks, Sakura illuminations, etc.) and wished everybody a good festival.

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It was a quite a rainy day in Vancouver.  Luckily, the exhibitors tables were in a covered area.

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Due to the rain, it was pretty quiet under the canopy.  Where you would usually find dozens of photographers and a crowd of people admiring cherry blossoms, there were only a few people hanging under the cherry trees.

Burrar skytrain station blossoms

The reason there were so few people under the canopy was clear when you got closer. Turns out half the pathway was flooded. The petals were floating in four inches of water!

Burrard canopy Burrard floating blossoms

For those who were not afraid to brave the rain today, the blossoms were there.

Burrar skytrain station blossoms wet petal

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from April 3-29, 2018. Check vcbf.ca for information about the festival activities. Happy Cherry Blossom Viewing!

Burrar skytrain station blossoms

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Cherry Jam Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Jam opening concert at Burrard Skytrain

It was a gorgeous sunny day for the opening of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival at the Burrard skytrain station today.

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The Akebono cherry buds were about to open, and there were some blossoms at the top of the trees.

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First stop: the Cocktails and Canape booth where you could pick up a Blossom Bliss picnic, along with cherry blossom shake, and popcorn dessert.

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After browsing the vendors’ table, it was time to pick a spot: the show was about to start.

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First, Sinfonia Orchestra took the stage for an amazing concert. A choir accompanied them on stage, and then some flash-mob singers, dispersed throughout the crowd, joined their voice for a rendition of Sakura! Sakura! I’m really glad they played it twice because that was a pretty cool to hear all the voices joining the choir from everywhere in the station.

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Then, we were delighted by the sound of Son De Maple, a Vancouver based band with a latin sound and the most amazing percussionist I’ve ever seen (never thought someone could play a tambourine like this).

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The Cherry Jam concert ended with the Uzume Taiko drumming group. They were accompanied  by members of the South Asian Arts group who made us dance to the sound of Bollywood music.

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Linda Poole, the festival director, closed the festivities and wished everybody a happy spring and a great Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.

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The Akebono cherry trees, which are be 2-3 weeks behind the normal blooming season, are just about to open everywhere in the city, so go visit soon!

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Leaving the station, I saw a woman taking pictures of the smaller tree planted in front of the station and realized this was probably my best chance for me to get a close-up  of the blossoms. The tree is in the sunlight. It was perfect.

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If you didn’t pick up a VCBF schedule at the festival tent, you’ll find it in this this week’s Georgia Straight. Visit our website for a complete list of activities and updates.

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Cherry Jam Merchandise Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Jam concert at Burrard skytrain

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off today with the Cherry Jam, a free concert held at the Burrard skytrain station in downtown Vancouver.

This year, several artists teamed up to offer a multidisciplinary experience: The Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra performed first, then stayed on stage to accompany two dancers and a Japanese singer.

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Chinese musician Ji Rong Huang played the er-hu while Dayna Szyndrowski performed tap dancing. I was blown away that someone had thought of mixing these two different art forms together. And they worked perfectly!

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Japanese artist Yayoi Hirano from Yayoi Theatre Movement performed haiku in mime while accompanied by the flute music of Holly Burke. (No pictures, but I took a video.)

Vancouver Okinawa Taiko group closed the show with powerful drumming and dancing.

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All performances were wonderful and memorable!

Festival volunteers at the VCBF table were handing out the 2016 Cherry Blossom guide which you can also find in this week’s The Vancouver Courier Newspaper and WE | The Westender.

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Spring came early, so all cherry blossom were gone at the Burrard skytrain station, but there was a birthday blossom tree at one of the kiosks, so I was able to take pictures of the blossoms.

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Akebono cherry trees are losing their petals, but there are plenty of cherry blossoms elsewhere in the city: Shirotae, beni-shidare, and soon Kanzan will bloom.  Are you ready to celebrate spring?

Don’t go cherry blossom viewing without these essential items: the VCBF guide, a cherry petal mat and a guide to Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver.

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Happy Cherry Blossom Viewing!

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Cherry Jam Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Activities

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Celebrate spring with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (April 3-28 2014):

 

 

 

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Cherry Jam Photos World Umbrella Dance

Here comes the rain again!

Burrard skytrain station cherry blossom April 4 2013

Yep, it’s back to rainy weather, Vancouver.  But it doesn’t mean that you should stay at home. You can still take beautiful pictures of cherry blossoms under the rain. This was taken at Burrard station on April 4th during Cherry Jam.

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As a new cherry scout, there are three tools I find indispensable: my camera, the guide Ornamental cherries in Vancouver by Douglas Justice (to identify cherry trees) and my Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2013 designer umbrella!

If you’re coming to Sakura Days Japan Fair this week-end, you can buy the umbrella at VanDusen Garden Shop (or pick it up at Urban Tea Merchant in Downtown Vancouver).

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Did you know?  You can purchase the umbrella by itself to support the festival. (You don’t have to join the dance if you don’t want to).

World Umbrella Dance tag

It’s not too late to join the World Umbrella Dance. There are still two rehearsals dates:  Monday April 8 at the Roundhouse and Friday April 12 at Kitsilano.   The dance will take place at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza on Saturday April 13 2013.

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Cherry Jam Haiku Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Jam Downtown Concert

Haiku Tracking at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kick off  concert Cherry Jam on April 4 2013

At the Burrard skytrain station, lots of people came to the Cherry Jam concert today. Some of the performers included:  World Umbrella Dancers, taiko drummers, Japanese dancers, and a ukulele ensemble playing Sakura Sakura.

The Haiku Tracking balloons (an innovative project by Bing Thom Architects) added a nice touch of color and interactivity.

Haiku Tracking at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kick off  concert Cherry Jam on April 4 2013

People of all ages were having a good time carrying the balloons around.  When a young girl’s balloon got caught in a lower branch, she was showered with petals and everybody laughed.

Burrard skytrain station cherry blossom April 4 2013

The cherry petals were falling quickly due to the persistent rain.  How quicky? Take a look at this video:

Sakurab Bento box at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Jam Concert April 4 2013

This yummy Sakurab bento box received some complimentary petals!

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2012 Haiku Invitational bus sign

A closer look at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku Invitational 2012 Winners. The poster should be in the Translink Skytrains and buses soon.

Haiku Tracking at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kick off  concert Cherry Jam on April 4 2013

If you took a balloon home, you will find a little haiku inside the paper. You can write your own haiku and publish it on the haikutracking.com website.

Haiku Tracking at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival kick off  concert Cherry Jam on April 4 2013

Take a look at the haikutracking.com website to see where the balloons went and read some haiku.

Burrard skytrain station cherry blossom April 4 2013

Cherry blossom viewing tip: you should never shy away from the rain.  This picture was taken today at the Burrard station. You could never take that on a sunny day, that’s for sure!  Buy the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival umbrella to keep you dry and get out there!  Visit the Burrard station location within 2-3 days to be showered with petals.  Hurry up!  (Umbrellas are for sale at Urban Tea Merchant, just one block away from Burrard station).

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Cherry Jam Photos

Burrard station is ready for Cherry Jam!

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Akebono cherry trees at Burrard skytrain station are now in full bloom!It’s going to be gorgeous for the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Jam this Thursday April 4th (11.00am-1.30pm)!

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

This afternoon, before heading to Burrard station,  I stopped at T&T (near BC Stadium) to pickup some sushi and dumplings.

T&T is offering a special sakura sushi tray in partnership with the VCBF and they also have a sweet bun festival right now with buns in different shapes like a snowman, hedgehog, frog, Snoopy, etc. These are too cute to resist!

After picking up some goodies, I hopped on the skytrain and headed to Burrard to have a picnic under the blossoms.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

At the Burrard station, there were lots of people taking pictures, especially of that single tree that always seems to be in the sunlight.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Around 4.30 pm, the reflection of the setting sun (coming from the surrounding buildings) was coloring the blossoms pink at this location that is almost always in the shade.

Akebono Burrard skytrain station in bloom March 31 2013

Photography tip: don’t be afraid to do some closeups.  I just love taking pictures of the sun through the blossoms!

Cherry viewing tip: It’s time to visit! The cherry trees are peaking.  If you work Downtown, bring your lunch and enjoy a picnic under the canopy every day this week before the blossoms fall. Remember this important rule of cherry blossom viewing: Never say “tomorrow!”

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Cherry Jam Photos Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival banner

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2013 banner at Burrard skytrain station

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival banner is up at the Burrard skytrain station.

We have so many activities planned for the festival from April 4-30 2013!  Mark these dates to your calendar:

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2013 banner at Burrard skytrain station

Come celebrate spring with us!

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Cherry Jam Photos

Burrard Station Update

Akebono cherry blossoms at Burrard skytrain station.

The Akebono cherry trees at the Burrard skytrain station were a beautiful shade of pink when I visited this afternoon around 4.30pm.

Akebono cherry blossom buds at Burrard skytrain station.

The branches were filled with pink buds that are just about to open!

Akebono cherry blossom buds at Burrard skytrain station.

Just wait a couple of days and it will be cherry blossom galore!

Akebono cherry blossom buds at Burrard skytrain station.

It looks like we’ll have plenty of cherry blossoms for the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Jam on April 4th.

Akebono cherry blossom at Burrard skytrain station.

Cherry viewing tip: You will find only a few cherry blossoms at the Burrard skytrain station right now: they are close to tree trunk, too high, or close to the glass panels. Not ideal.

When to visit: just wait  5-7 days to visit this location and you’ll be greeted by thousand of blossoms and will be able to walk under the pink canopy! Subscribe to the blog or follow us on Facebook to receive updates.

All photos taken at Burrard skytrain station March 22, 2013 between 4.30-5.00pm

PS Compare with the pictures I took March 8. The trees went from green to pink in less than 2 weeks. Amazing!