SF’s 2026 Cherry Blossom Festival & Grand Parade w/ Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka

David Yu via Flickr

Welcome to the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, one of California’s most prominent celebrations of Asian traditions and the biggest on the West coast.

Since 1968, the Festival has served to cultivate the continued alliance between Japan and the United States using culture as its bridge. Each year, over 220,000 people attend this dazzling display showcasing the vibrant colors and grace of the Japanese culture and the diversity of the Japanese American Community in the festivities as San Francisco’s Japantown celebrates Japanese and Japanese-American culture. The celebration coincides with the blooming of the cherry blossoms.

58th Annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
– April 11-12, 2026 | 11 am to 5 pm
– April 18-19, 2025 | 11 am to 5 pm
– GRAND PARADE – Sunday, April 19, 2025 – 1pm to 3pm – from Civic Center Plaza to Japantown
– Festival – Post Street between Laguna and Fillmore Streets, Japantown, SF
FREE

Will there be a parade for 2026? Yes!  The Grand Parade will occur on the final Sunday of the Festival. A lively procession of taiko drummers, dancers, and decorative floats will celebrate the Festival and the Japanese traditions that thrive here in Nor Cal.

Just announced! This year’s Grand Marshal, Atsuko Okatsuka, is a globally touring comedian known for her magnetic stage presence, hilarious storytelling, and instantly recognizable bowl cut.

2026 Parade Route
Please note that the 2026 Parade route hasn’t been announced yet, but here’s the 2025 details:
> The 2025 Grand Parade will depart the Civic Center Plaza at 1:00 pm., proceeding up Polk Street to Post Street, and ending in Japantown at Post and Fillmore Streets.

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival