Annual Cherry Blossom Festival Returns to Red Wing Park

The Cherry Blossom Festival returns to Red Wing Park March 23-30 for a celebration as more than 150 Yoshino cherry trees come to life for the fleeting moment of nature’s beauty. Together with sister city Miyazaki, Japan, which gifted the trees, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation (VBPR) presents an array of more than 25 programs and activities to promote the rich culture and beauty of Japanese music and art.

The Virginia Beach Koto Society performance is returning for the first time since 2019 with new activities, Martial Arts Self Defense Workshop and Koto Workshop. Pack your blankets and chairs to enjoy an immersive family festival with cultural performances, musical performances, martial arts demonstrations, Japanese Garden tours, children’s activities and more. Haniwa, a special Japanese ritual statue made of unglazed terracotta clay, will be displayed on weekends. Weekday events are registered programs only. Food trucks will be onsite on March 23, 24 and 30.

Parking will be available in the park’s grass lot during the event. Reserved handicap-accessible parking is available at the park office and dog park lot. The Japanese Garden parking lot will be closed.

While you’re there, find the photo-monitoring Chronolog station and follow the instructions on the sign to snap a picture and help us build a visual timelapse of the trees blooming and changing over the seasons. View all six VBPR sites with Chronolog stations and timelines.

Follow VBPR on Facebook or Instagram @VBParksRec for weekly Bloom Report updates as the Cherry Blossoms reach peak bloom. Support the Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation Foundation by ordering a special edition shirt of the Chery Blossom Festival. For more information including a schedule of events, visit cherryblossomvb.com.

Construction Advisory: Work has begun on a project to improve access to Red Wing Park. It will not affect the Japanese Garden, cherry trees or the festival. The first phase of the project will include removal of trees along Sakura Lane, the park’s narrow entrance road. The trees must be removed so the road can be widened and a new drainage swale installed. Red Wing Park will remain open during this work, although some areas of pathways and trails adjacent to the work area will be closed.

• Cherry Blossom Festival
• Red Wing Park

The Red Wing Park property was acquired by the county in 1879 and was formerly known as the "Old City Poor Farm." It was developed into a park by the City in 1966 and is now home to many gardens, including Bee City USA® Pollinator Garden and the Reba S. McClanan Fragrance Garden, established through the joint efforts of Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation and the Council of Garden Clubs of Virginia Beach, and the Miyazaki Japanese Garden. In 2005 and 2006, a total of 150 Yoshino cherry trees were gifted by International Sister City Miyazaki City.

Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation strives to promote healthy lifestyles and protect the City's coastal environment, as well as to ensure all residents – regardless of their physical, social and economic circumstances – can access Parks & Recreation programs. The department's vision is to be the national leader in providing enriching and memorable lifelong experiences. Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation is the 2023 National Gold Medal Award winner for excellence in Parks and Recreation Management in the Class I category by the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation is accredited by CAPRA, the certifying agency of the National Recreation and Park Association.