This weekend is it.
Toronto’s High Park cherry blossoms are expected to be in bloom and will last for about a week. Most of the trees were a planted as a gift from Japan’s Sakura project in 2001. That explains the frenzy around the blossoms in recent years after I’d never heard of them for most of my life. (Leave the car at home, or at least a couple blocks away from the park, if you do go this year because parking is impossible.)
There is a tradition of picnicking under the blossoming cherry trees in Japan that has spread to North America (and wherever you might find the trees, I imagine). If you’re not in Toronto, there’s still a good chance there are some of these cherry trees near you. The timing of the blossoms changes, however, from year to year and from place to place according to the weather, so you may have already missed your chance for this year.
But High Park goes crazy for these blossoming trees. Last year was the first time we visited them and it blew my mind. I expected a few pretty trees, but there was a whole surreal vibe going on. Hundreds of people were walking around. There were dozens of picnics, hammocks, musicians, dancers, drum circles and the like. It was a total trip.
We went in the evening, just before sunset, and it was simply magical.
Here’s a map that shows you where they are in the park.