Spring has finally sprung in New York City. For those of you who were not able to make it to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC, you have a second chance to catch the Sakura trees in bloom at the 34th Annual Sakura Matsuri in Brooklyn, NY, at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. 

Tip for the newbies: you can frequently check the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens official website (http://www.bbg.org/bloom) to see if the Sakura trees are fully blossoming.

We were lucky to beat the crowd today as we arrived early. We met up with a close friend who happened to be a member of Botanic Garden, which got us free passes to get in! If you aren’t a member, you can pay $25/pass for an adult and $20 for a senior. Remember no food or drinks are allowed inside, as you will be told to throw away or finish your ice cream or drinks before entering.

  

This year boasts a lot of activities and booths; from sellers of Japanese snacks to traditional clothing and souvenirs. 

   

    

 

After browsing the wonderful array of items, we followed the crowd to the Cherry Esplanade. Disappointingly, not all were quite booming yet. I would definitely advise checking back in another week.

  
   

 
Some visitors were nice and only took pictures of Sakura, but I cringed when I had to witness some visitors that literally pulled the Sakura closer for some camera time. 
   
 
Remember selfie etiquette my fellow attendees, be respectful and always do it in good taste. No one wants to see you crushing the flowerbeds just so you can crawl to get the “best shots.”

  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

If you’re kicking yourself for missing it, Sunday the 26th is the last day of the festival. You still have time, as all the Sakura have not bloomed yet, and I bet even more will be blooming this next week. Beat the crowd! Get there early and enjoy what the event has to offer.