It’s officially spring in Essex County and the cherry blossom trees in town are showing off. There’s nothing like the snowfall-like cascade of petals to truly signal spring’s arrival. After being canceled in 2020 and being held virtually in 2021, the Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is returning in-person to Branch Brook Park for 2022. Read on to learn more about the events happening and these pretty pink trees.
The Details + Events
The 46th annual festival will take place at its usual in-person location – Branch Brook Park in Newark and Belleville. Family-friendly events will run from April 2nd-April 10th, making this an entire nine days of cherry blossom fun. The festival is also conveniently scheduled for when the trees are forecast to be in peak bloom from April 1st-5th, where there will be over 5,000 cherry blossoms to gaze at, as seen on Patch.
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As for specific events, they are as follows:
April 2nd – Cherry Blossom Challenge Bike Race
These races will run from 7AM-1PM, and will be held at Essex County Branch Brook Park, Northern Division Oval, Heller Parkway in Newark. The races are free for the public to watch, while race participants must pre-register.
April 3rd – Cherry Blossom 10K Run
This run is from 10AM-12PM, and will start at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center at Branch Brook Park in Newark. All run finishers will receive a Cherry Blossom Run medal and t-shirt, and a part of each registration fee will be donated to the Special Olympics of New Jersey.
April 6th – Cherry Blossom Talk
The Cherry Blossom Talks will run through April, and are 30-minute discussions with one of Branch Brook Park’s knowledgeable archivists. Topics include the history of the Branch Brook Park trees, the types of trees that have been used, how the trees have been incorporated into the landscape, and some exploration behind their meaning. These events will be held in the outdoor classroom beside the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center.
April 9th – Essex County One-Mile Fun Run
This event is from 10AM-11AM, and is catered to young students. As the prequel to the Essex County Family Day, the run will go through Branch Brook Park. It is free of charge, and all paperwork and permission slips can be found here.
April 9th – Essex County Family Day
Family day will run from 11AM-3PM at Essex County Branch Brook Park, Concert Grove, Southern Division, Park Street Entrance in Newark. Visitors can enjoy hula hooping, explore using paddle boats, construct a craft, get their face painted, grab food from one of many vendors, and watch a BMX bike stunt show at this free-of-charge event.
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April 10th – Bloomfest
The final event of the 2022 festival will be held at Essex County Branch Brook Park, Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, Mill Street Entrance, Belleville + Prudential Concert Grove, Clifton Avenue Entrance in Newark from 11AM-5PM. This free family day includes multiple events like Japanese cultural demonstrations, children’s activities, live music, a crafter’s marketplace, food, and more.
Keep up with Essex County Parks and the 2022 Cherry Blossom Festival online, on Facebook, and the Bloomwatch Webcam to see live footage of the trees from Branch Brook Park.
