28-03-2025
2025 Downtown Akron Sakura Festival: What to know, where to see cherry blossoms 🌸
An annual celebration of the start of spring in Akron is right around the corner.
The Downtown Akron Sakura Festival will return April 5 along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The free festival, which coincides with the bloom of more than 450 cherry blossom trees, will be held from 1 to 7 p.m.
Visitors will have the opportunity to experience Japanese performances, music, art and a story walk, as well as a pre-festival bike ride that begins at 10 a.m. at Cascade Plaza. Local vendors and food trucks will also be available to attendees.
This year's festival will include a Light the Locks event at Lock 2 beginning at 8 p.m. This event celebrates the city's 200th anniversary and encourages attendees to light a lantern in remembrance of a lost loved one and celebrate new beginnings, according to the event's website.
This year's festival will include:
Walk and talk with horticulturist along the Towpath Trail to learn more about the history of the Ohio & Erie Canal and the geology of Northeast Ohio
Sip and Learn: Sake and Sushi Tasting at Cilantro Thai and Sushi
Chado: Japanese Tea Ceremony in the Lock 3 shuffleboard area
Japanese Tea Making in the Lock 3 shuffleboard area
Paint in the Park guided painting with Street Craftery
To learn more, visit the Downtown Akron Partnership's website.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@ or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What to know about the 2025 Downtown Akron Sakura Festival
