Fairmount Park’s Cherry Blossom festival on Sakura Sunday has become our annual rite of spring. It was gloriously warm for mid-April with 1,000 cherry trees lush with blooms. The event price is reasonable: it includes live music and dance, Japan House admission, fashion shows, hands-on culture demonstrations and rampant cosplay.
Prettiest in Pink
We headed straight to one of our favorite events, the 
Prettiest Pet in Pink contest. There were 20 dogs, from a chubby corgi to a huskie, showing off their canine talents in pink finery. Loved the kimonoed shiba inu and the derbied cockapoo. The winner is picked by popular vote. I’m rooting for the woman with the tiny dog who has entered for each of the last five years!
Japanese Traditions
The Horticulture Center was transformed into hands-on demonstration areas to explore Japanese culture. You could learn to play Shogi, brushstroke your name in kana calligraphy, learn the proper way to wear a kimono and more. The biggest line was for free shiatsu massages in the back.
Anime Cosplay
For me, the main attraction is to people watch! There are hundreds of fans who arrive in full coordinated costumes to celebrate their anime favorites. The Little Akiba stage in back hosted a student designer as well as a fan anime fashion show. They were fun, but the audience was more impressively bedecked than the runway models.
You can check out more photos on my instagram account barbhmphilly.
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