International Cherry Blossom Festival

The International Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Macon, Georgia every spring. As Macon is known as the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World,"Fact|date=December 2007 300,000 Yoshino Cherry Trees bloom around downtown, college campuses, and the neighborhoods of Macon in late March every year. The festival lasts for ten days and features events for people of all ages. The festival is not associated with the National Cherry Blossom Festival held in Washington, D.C.

History

Yoshino Cherry Trees are not native to the South. William A. Fickling, Sr., a local realtor, discovered the beauty of the Yoshino Cherry Trees in the middle of the 20th century, and began planting the trees around the neighborhoods of Macon with the help of local citizens. Over the years, the trees became a common sight around the city and grew to become an identifying symbol of the city. Macon celebrated its first International Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring of 1982.

Annual Events

*Mulberry Street Festival - An outdoor fine arts and crafts show held on Mulberry street in downtown, featuring artists from around the nationFact|date=December 2007.
*International Food Fair - Held with the Mulberry Street Festival in downtown Macon, it sells food from traditions around the world.
*Cherry Blossom Street Party - Bands and performers of rock, blues, country, and other genres play on several stages set up in downtown at night.
*Cherry Blossom Pageant - a royal court of one queen and four princesses are chosen every year.
*Balloon Fest - Hot Air balloons lift off and fly over Macon at this event.
*Air Show - held every year at the Macon Downtown Airport, it features impressive aerobatic performances by military airplanes.
*Cherry Blossom Parade
*Ocmulgee Lantern Light Tour - A guided twilight walk through the trails of Ocmulgee National Monument.
*Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Finale - picnics, food vendors, live music, fun family activities, and fireworks.

Other Events

The Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival also often hold animal shows, concerts, theatrical performances, international showcase events, house tours, fashion shows, galas, luncheons, marathons, dances, fair rides, and bus tours along scenic Cherry Blossom trails.

Since 2006 the Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival has produced the Annual Georgia European Union Summit (AGEUS), a gathering of Georgian and international economic development leaders. AGEUS is also the venue at which the Georgia Featured Export Product Awards are presented. [http://web.georgia.org/net/calendar/details.aspx?s=145972.0.0.9]

External links

* [http://www.cherryblossom.com/ International Cherry Blossom Festival Online]