Ring in warmer weather with flora and fun at two outdoor festivals in Flushing this weekend.
Head to Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Saturday, April 21, for the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival. The free annual event celebrates the trees’ peak season and the arrival of spring.
The fun festival is slated to feature live Taiko drum, Japanese chorus and folk dance performances. A traditional tea ceremony is also on the bill.
The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will take place in the park’s cherry blossom grove, west of the New York State Pavilion. It is organized in part by the Japanese American Association of New York and NYC Parks. Questions about the event can be directed to the Parks Department at 718-760-6560.
On April 21 and 22, the Queens Botanical Garden will celebrate the peak of tulip season with the Tulip Time Festival, where attendees can marvel at over 20,000 bulbs. The festival will begin at noon and end at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday; it will run from noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday.
On Saturday, with the price of admission to the garden, attendees can enjoy hourly guided tulip tours and tulip-inspired crafts. An outdoor music and happy hour celebration will also take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Enjoy the jazz stylings of musical ensemble Emily Asher’s Garden Party while kicking back al fresco with a signature drink and a snack.
On Sunday, tulip and flower-inspired crafts will take place during the length of the festival. Attendees can also sign up for a flower design workshop, where participants can create a springtime flower arrangement to take home. All flowers and materials are provided and the workshop costs $30 a person. Registration is required and can be completed here.
Admission to the garden runs from $2 to $6 a person. Children aged 3 and under and garden members get in for free.
Queens Botanical Garden is located at 43-50 Main St. and can be reached by calling 718-463-0263.
