Carmel announces inaugural Cherry Blossom Festival

The City of Carmel will hold its first-ever Cherry Blossom Festival at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 4.

The festival will be held at the Japanese Garden on the grounds of Carmel City Hall in partnership with Carmel Sister Cities, Inc., offering a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture while recognizing Carmel’s sister city relationship with Kawachinagano, Japan.

This event is free and open to the public; festival attendees will have the chance to experience activities for all ages including traditional Japanese arts such as calligraphy and origami, kimono try-ons, traditional drumming, and more. Guests will also enjoy an assortment of authentic Japanese cuisine from a variety of local food vendors.

The Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the significant milestone of Carmel’s first sister city designation, which officially took place in 1994. As Carmel celebrates the past 30 years of the partnership, the event underscores the deep and lasting friendship between the two cities. The festival will also serve as an opportunity to rededicate the Kawachinagano Japanese Garden at Carmel City Hall, a serene space completed in 2009 as part of the 15th anniversary of the sister city recognition. While the garden renovations will not yet be complete, renderings of the finished construction will be available to view at the event.

The expansion of the Japanese Garden is a partnership between the city and Clay Township. The city funded the beginning phases of the project, including property acquisition and the initial construction of the lower pond, with the township funding the revitalization of the upper pond and the beginning portions of the lower pond landscaping.

“We are incredibly proud of our long-standing relationship with Kawachinagano,” Mayor Sue Finkam said. “This inaugural Cherry Blossom Festival is a wonderful way to honor this special bond, celebrate Japanese culture within our community and welcome our friends from across the globe. The rededication of the Japanese Garden further signifies the beauty and importance of this connection.”

The original Japanese Garden was made possible in part by a generous gift from the City of Kawachinagano, as well as funding from Clay Township and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission. The garden includes a traditional Japanese gate in between the cherry blossom trees. This festival builds upon the spirit of cultural exchange that was highlighted during the 2009 celebration and the subsequent Japanese cultural exposition, Kawachinagano Day.

Read about Carmel’s Sister City, Kawachinagano, Japan, at this link.