Salem Cherry Blossom Festival

With the beginning blooms of the cherry blossom trees, we see the annual Cherry Blossom Festival happen in Salem. This festival started in the early 1900s and was officially revived in 2015 to celebrate our sister city relationship between Salem and Kawagoe City, Japan. It also explains the reason why Salem and Portland are both called “Cherry City”--it’s because of our cherry blossom trees!

Located at the park in front of the famous capitol building, you can experience the calmness of the trees. March 15 officially kicked off the celebration, starting off with a speech from Mayor Julie Hoy. During the celebrations, there were multiple events that people could watch and participate in. Some of these included a Martial Arts performance and the infamous traditional Japanese Bon Dance. The capitol was also decorated with lanterns across the trees, making many great photo opportunities. If you find yourself in downtown Salem, head on down to the capitol and experience the beauty of the cherry blossom trees. Or, if daytime viewings aren't your style, come on down at Sunset to experience the Yozakura, or nighttime viewing, of the blossoms. It makes a great photoshoot opportunity and a cozy, romantic spot.