*3rd Annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival 2011 - Public SquareNEW

Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival comes to Public Square.

9am:� Cherry Blossom Walk
Mayor Karl Dean, Consul General of Japan Hiroshi Sato, and Sister Cities of Nashville Board President David Briley led the First Annual Cherry Blossom Walk, a free community event hosted by Sister Cities of Nashville and Japan-America Society of Tennessee.�

More than 150 participants enjoyed a beautiful spring day while strolling on Nashville's Cumberland River Greenway for one, two or three miles.� The walk preceded the Second Annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, March 27, 2010.�

The goal of the walk was to promote the mission of Sister Cities of Nashville and the Japan-America Society of Tennessee.

10am - 4pm
Food, Music, Dance, Cosplay, & Performances

$3 All Day Parking
Underground public parking garage at the Public Square ('James Robertson Parkway Entrance - Public Square Parking')

Mission
The mission of the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival Committee is to plant 1,000 cherry trees by planting 100 trees every spring over 10 years. These cherry trees will not only beautify Nashville?s landscape, but also provide a backdrop for the annual Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival.

In 2009, in addition to successfully planting the first 100 cherry trees, a planting ceremony and taiko performance were held at the Public Square.� In 2010, we planted 100 more trees and expanded the festival.� This year, 2011, for our 3rd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival we will plant 100 more trees.

We have activities planned throughout the Sakura�Season and culminate with our Cherry Blossom Walk and Festival.

The 2011 3rd Annual Cherry Blossom festival will be held at the Public Square on Saturday, March 26 at 10:00 A.M.� The Walk, co-sponsored by Sister Cities of Nashville and Japan America Society of Tennessee will begin at 9:00 A.M. from the Public Square.

Cherry blossoms, or sakura, have been the symbol of U.S.-Japan friendship since the Mayor of Tokyo donated 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912.

Cherry blossom festivals, or sakura matsuri, are celebrated every spring all over the United States. By attracting tourists and bringing a taste of Japanese culture to the local communities,� these festivals contribute to international exchange and education as well as local economic development.