The free 32nd Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 with a full lineup of hands-on Japanese and multi-cultural activities and performances. Headquartered from Church Row Park, the multi-venue event is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and celebrates the park's annual blooming of historic cherry trees.
The 2025 festival honors the late Ruth Dick of Waimea, who was a long-time festival participant as a member of Waimea Bon-yu Kai Bonsai Club. A Waimea resident and active club member, the Kaua‘i native annually exhibited her plants to the delight of festival goers. Year after year, she expertly offered bonsai care demonstrations and served as a volunteer plant doctor during the festival.
Mrs. Dick started practicing the art of bonsai in the 1980s, under the tutelage of late Bon-yu Kai members Isami Ishihara and Yutaka Kimura.
“I think the art of bonsai enabled my mom to connect with and honor her Japanese heritage,” shares daughter Michiko Spencer of Waimea. “My mom was always a plant person and bonsai opened a new door for her creativity as well.”
Spencer, who has assumed the care of her mother's impressive bonsai collection, has joined Waimea Bon-yu Kai to learn the skills "to importantly keep the plants alive,” but adds the process provides a form of closure after her mother's death “as I know my caring for them would make her happy.”
In addition to bonsai activities, the festival offers hands-on mochi pounding, sake tasting, bon dancing, traditional tea ceremonies, food demonstrations by local chefs, broke da’ mouth food prepared by local organizations and loads of craft vendors. Performances can be enjoyed by festival goers at multiple venues.
Roberts Hawaii will provide a free transportation shuttle between Church Row Park and other venues, though walking is encouraged.
The Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is annually produced by the Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation’s Culture and Education Section. The event is a community-wide effort by a dedicated team of volunteers. For info, call 808-961-8706 and find updates on Facebook: WaimeaCherryBlossomHeritageFestival.
