Your Guide to the Cherry Blossom Festival

A Blooming Delight!

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, Saturday 17 August to Sunday 25 August, 9am to 5pm

Nothing says Springtime in Sydney than trees filled with delicate cherry blossoms in hues ranging from snow white to flamingo pink. But forget hopping on a plane to Japan, Auburn Botanic Garden’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival is just the place to get your ‘Sakura’ – or cherry blossom – fix right in your own backyard. Held over nine days, this outdoor event is part nature walk, part festival, with a host of food trucks, entertainers, cultural shows and kids’ activities popping up as part of a dedicated Japanese Food Village.

This year the festival is bigger than ever with Hello Kitty joining the entertainment line up, bonsai talks, Manga workshops and even more Japanese inspired food. So grab a picnic blanket, channel your inner geisha, and read on as we share the best ways to experience this family-friendly festival that’s become a must-do event in the Spring calendar.

🌸 Cherry Trail, Japanese Garden

For many, the Cherry Trail is the main event involving a walk around the Japanese Gardens and a ‘Gram-worthy shot under the uber popular cherry arbour and red Mt Fuji Torrii Gate. Close your eyes and you could be in Kyoto.

But walk further along and you’ll find a Zen Garden, clusters of fuchsia azaleas in bloom, a decorative bridge that looks straight out of Japanese woodblock print, and a lake thrumming with giant Koi carp.

Whilst a ticket will give you all-day access to the entire Botanic Gardens and Japanese Food Village (see below for more info), during the festival there are timed sessions for the Japanese Gardens so book ahead and grab a spot that suits you.

Tip: If you’re keen to avoid the weekend hordes, visit early on a weekday afternoon. You might miss some of the food trucks and attractions, but you’ll have one hundred gorgeous cherry blossom trees all to yourself. Pack a Japanese inspired bento box and pick a spot under a tree or opposite the lake to make the most of the experience.

When: 9am to 5pm

🌸 Japanese Food Village

Right beside the Japanese Garden, you’ll find a designated Food Village with Japanese faves like yakitori, onigiri and ramen as well as an explosion of sweet treats from Tokyo Lamington, Japanese fusion gelato from TokyoLato by Dolce Bacio, Japanese style cheesecakes from 15Cenchi and locally made mochi from My Mochi Mate, to name a few. Little ones will adore Som Som Candy’s fairy floss spun into Cherry Blossom and Hello Kitty inspired shapes, and DeMochi’s glazed mochi donuts.

Tip: Pack a picnic blanket as tables can be few and far between.

When: From 9am – 5pm daily

🌸 Ikebana Demonstrations

Did you know the word ikebana comes from ‘ikuru’ – to live, and ‘hana’ – flowers: literally ‘living flowers’? Start your Cherry Blossom experience with gentle art of Ikebana: a way of arranging flowers according to ancient principles. In Japanese culture, most native flowers, plants, and trees are embedded with symbolic meaning and are associated with certain seasons. Hosted by Nikki Zeng from Peony Story, this demonstration will will see the principles of ikebana come to life in a gorgeous floral arrangement.

When: 10am, weekends

🌸 Hello Kitty at the Festival

Arguably Japan’s cutest if not best known character, Hello Kitty will be joining the Cherry Blossom Festival for the first time in 2024 and hitting the main stage for twice daily performances.

When: Daily, 12pm and 2pm

🌸 Bonsai Talks

The Japanese art of growing and planting miniature trees will be explored by expert horticulturalists including Andrew Quah from the Royal Agricultural and Royal Horticultural Societies of NSW, to the 45-year-old Ray Nesci Bonsai Nursery in Dural and the Bonsai Society of Australia, one of Australia’s first bonsai societies founded in 1965. Plus you can bring home a bonsai with miniature plants on sale daily throughout the festival.

• Quah Bonsai Talks 17 and 18 August
• Ray Nesci Bonsai Nursery, 19 and 20 August
• Bonsai Society of Australia, 22-25 August

When:  Various dates as above.

🌸 Manga Workshops

Manga enthusiasts can learn the art of Manga with Queenie Chan – a manga-style comic book writer-artist – or published Australian illustrator Matthew Lin.

When: Manga Workshop with Queenie Chan, Saturday 17 at 10am and 1pm. Mathew Lin’s Manga Workshop: Monday 19 at 10am, 12pm and 2pm | Tuesday 20 at 10am, 12pm and 2pm

🌸  Origami Workshop

Got little ones who love paper craft? Don’t miss the daily origami workshops where they can get creative and learn how to make birds, butterflies, flowers and more. Bring home your folded artwork or add it to the festival’s origami installation.

When: 10am – 4pm daily, 16-25 August

🌸 YuNiOn Taiko

Did you know that in feudal Japan, taiko (drums) were often used to motivate troops, call out orders or announcements, and set a marching pace? In fact, during the 16th-century, specific drum calls were used to communicate orders for retreating and advancing armies.

Today taiko drumming has a more cultural significance and YuNiOn – a duet group for taiko, percussion and more – takes people on a fun, open and soulful journey through the high-spirited energy of the Japanese taiko drum, blended with percussive sounds and festive song and dance. Catch them performing daily at this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival.

When: Daily, with varying times from 17 – 25 August

🌸 The Cherry Blossom Bar

Mum and dad all puffed out after a day of wandering the gardens? Pull up a seat and unwind with a Japanese inspired mocktail, beer, wine, Sake or cocktail presented by Bubble Bambino.

When: 9am to 4.45pm daily

🌸 Looking for more things to do?

Spanning over 9 hectares Auburn Botanic Gardens features a number of native gardens, reserves, and even a playground. Here’s a run-down of some of the attractions worth checking out if you’re looking to make a day of your visit to the gardens.

The Native and Rainforest Garden located in the western part of the Auburn Botanic Gardens near the fauna reserve and amphitheatre. It is a popular setting for organised events including wedding and civil ceremonies and wedding photography.  The Native and Rainforest Garden has numerous native plants and trees around a shady billabong and is bordered by scrub woodland plantings and grassed areas. The area’s wildlife includes Cape Barren Geese, Dusky Moorhens, peacocks and Australian Brush turkeys. The thick canopy of foliage over the rainforest and native garden produces a moist, deep littered leaf mould groundcover. The section is also utilised for Australian themed wedding or civil ceremony and wedding photography.

The Fauna Reserve – located adjacent to the Avenue of Remembrance and the Native and Rainforest Garden. It was opened in 1994 and is home to flora and fauna that was indigenous to the Auburn area before it was developed. Animals in the Fauna Reserve include Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Red-necked Wallabies, Swamp Wallabies, Emus and Common Wombat.

The Aviary – located opposite the entrance to the Botanic Gardens contains a unique range of birds from Australia and the Asia Pacific region. The Aviary is divided into four separate themed areas.

The Scented Garden located in the central part of the Auburn Botanic Gardens and is adjacent to the Avenue of Remembrance. It’s a popular setting for organised events including wedding and civil ceremonies and wedding photography. It was designed so that visitors would be treated to floral aromas such as Frangipani, Lavender and Sage. Key features of the Scented Garden include the Undercover Wedding Pavilion and the Reflection Pool.

The Undercover Wedding Pavilion is a tranquil setting amongst flower beds, an avenue of Liquid Amber Trees and a hedge garden.

The Reflection Pool branches off from the Undercover Wedding Pavilion and is lined on both sides by pine trees. The pine tree at the end of the Reflection Pool is a progeny of the Stone Pine at the Lone Pine Cemetery in Gallipoli. The Reflection Pool is at its most beautiful in autumn.

The Sunken Rose Garden is located in the centre of the Auburn Botanic Gardens and is adjacent to the Scented Garden. The Sunken Rose Garden features ceremonial arches and David Austin Roses with a variety of colours and fragrances. The Sunken Rose Garden is at its most beautiful between October and January.

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Looking for more outdoor venues to visit this Spring? Check out out our article on the best fenced playgrounds for little ones and parks and playgrounds for older kids.

About Author

Francesca Millena

Writer, foodie and ideas-sponge, Francesca grew up in the Inner West and loves writing about all things IW related from playgrounds and podcasts, restaurants and retail, bubble tea and basketball courts. Mum to an active child, she also knows a thing or two about keeping a little one entertained on a rainy day.

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