As we petal into spring, The Japanese Friendship Garden San Diego (JFG) in Balboa Park is celebrating the changes with its annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The one-weekend event — Friday, March 10-Sunday, March 12 — occurs when cherry blossoms, or sakura, are in peak bloom.

The festival invites guests to partake in the art of hanami — the tradition of flower viewing — and celebrates sakura for their beauty and impermanence. This sentiment is captured in the 2023 Blossom Festival design created by Allan S. Manzano. Visitors can also expect food vendors, merchants, sake, and performances throughout the event.

General admission tickets cannot be purchased online during the festival, but can be purchased at the entrance — though entry is limited from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Be prepared, the line gets very long, but once you're in, you can stay until closing. VIP tickets and 3-day passes can be purchased online and let you skip the general admission line.