A huge thanks to everyone who made the 2024 Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival such a huge success!!!
The Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation hosted the annual Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival, a celebration of Japanese culture, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. The event was held at Hot Springs Convention Center at 134 Convention Boulevard. This seventh annual family-friendly event was free to attend and had something for all ages.
The festival featured cultural demonstrations, exhibits, and musical performances including taiko drums, dance, a variety of traditional Japanese carnival games as well as an anime cosplay contest. Prizes for the Third Annual Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival Haiku competition were awarded with winners invited to read their haiku at the event.
For the first time, sumo wrestling was a part of the festival. Sumo! Sumo! Sumo! An Exhibition of Sumo Wrestling featured professional sumo wrestlers who have trained and wrestled in Japan.
Sake Fest, the largest gathering of the North American sake industry, was also be held in Hot Springs the first weekend in March. It featured brewers and their sake from coast to coast. For more information about Sake Fest, visit www.craftsakefest.com.
For more information email director@hotspringssistercity.org.
Workshops & Lectures
The Festival included several cultural workshops and experiences, in addition to a wide range of performances, exhibits and even an opportunity to shop for Japanese items. Workshops included:
- The Sake Experience
- Furoshiki
- What is Manga?
- Yukata Experience
- The Zen of Cherry Blossoms
- Tea Ceremony
- Scented Serenity
Below are some highlights from previous festivals!!!
