The payoff for living through Vancouver‘s damp gray winters comes in the spring, when flowers around the city burst into bloom.

And what better way to celebrate spring’s arrival than with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival?

This flower-focused fest sponsors a variety of events around town, beginning this weekend (am Samstag, März 28) and continuing through April 24.

Zu den Höhepunkten:

Unter dem Kirschbaum
Samstag, März 28 und Sonntag, März 29, 10 am to 5 pm, VanDusen Botanical Garden
The festival’s opening event celebrates the blossoms as well as Japanese culture.

Kirschmarmelade Downtown
Dienstag, März 31, Mittag zu 1:30 pm, Burrard Skytrain-Station
This free concert features the Cascade Brass Quintet with Blossom Brass, Chibi Taiko und Yuaikai Ryukyu Taiko Tanzgruppe, die globalen Rhythmen Kutapira, die japanische Pop-Band Insel, and CBC’s Bill Richardson reading the winning haiku from the festival’s Haiku Invitational.

Bike die Blüten
Samstag, April 18 10 am to 4 pm, Beginnt bei der VanDusen Botanical Garden parking lot
This food-focused cycle tour travels along prime cherry blossom viewing routes. You can also sample local food and meet area farmers at community centers along the way. Co-sponsored by Slow Food Vancouver, where you can get more information and also register online.

Baum-Gespräche und Spaziergänge
Guided nature walks at area parks.

• Sonntag, April 5, 1 auf 2:30 pm, Queen Elizabeth Park
• Freitag, April 10, 3 auf 4:30 pm, Stanley Park
• Montag, April 13, 1 auf 2:30 pm, UBC

And if you just want to explore Vancouver’s floral bounty on your own, check out the festival’s Cherry Blossom viewing map.

Foto von Alan Bruce (Flickr)