On the weekend of April 26-27, thousands gathered around the periphery of the Buffalo History Museum for the annual Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival. Celebrating its 12th year, the festival surrounds a garden of cherry trees behind the museum and exists to promote the history museum and its Japanese-themed garden.
The festival is a collaboration between multiple local organizations, and featured tables from both non-profit groups and local art vendors. Kelsey Reed, who works at the museum as the retail manager and guest services employee, spoke to The Spectrum about the festival:
“The garden is the result of our relationship with our sister city in Japan: Kanazawa. With the festival, we are promoting the connection with Kanazawa, the beautiful Olmsted Park system that Buffalo has and then also the beauty in the history within Buffalo by having it at the Buffalo History Museum.”
Outside of the museum, there were food trucks, booths, and live music performances. While the festival was relatively small, crowds flocked in and out of the museum to peruse tables of local crafts and participate in activities related to Japan. Tables inside offered opportunities for people of all ages to learn origami, paint cherry blossom trees, or learn Japanese.
“In the building we have different vendors, both nonprofits and different local artisans on each floor. We have a committee between the museum, the Friends of the Japanese Garden, Music is Art and Olmsted Parks. So all organizations are involved with the entire planning and run-of-show for the festival,” Reed said.
Inside the museum, exhibits include permanent acquisitions, like artwork from the historic Pan-American Exposition of 1901, and temporary shows like an exhibit on the history of local art venue, Hallwalls. Admission to the museum was free, while donations were encouraged, and decorations for the festival adorned the main room of the museum.
The museum gift shop includes locally crafted merchandise that celebrates Buffalo’s culture and history, like Oxford pennants with famous landmarks and Cherry Blossom candles for sale. No matter where an attendant looked, they would be sure to find memorabilia celebrating Japan, Buffalo, and the more than welcome arrival of spring.
Nadia Brach is an assistant arts editor and can be reached at nadia.brach@ubspectrum.com
