Cherry blossom festivals, held in various parts of the world, are a beloved tradition that symbolizes renewal, friendship, and cultural appreciation. Nighttime illuminations, called yozakura, add a magical touch to the experience. The origin of cherry blossom festivals in Salem dates to 1903, whe n the Salem Elks Lodge sponsored the first Cherry Fair. The event featured a queen’s coronation, a parade of decorated automobiles, contests, and boat races. From 1913-1950, the Salem Cherrians, a business group, assumed the responsibility of producing the annual Cherry Festival. Events included games and contests at the State Fairgrounds, and boat races on the Willamette River. The Cherrians also sponsored a motor tour each spring to view the best cherry blossom displays in the west and south Salem hills. The Cherrians disbanded in 1968, and the Cherry Festival stopped. In 2015, the nonprofit Oregon State Capitol Foundation sponsored the current Cherry Blossom Day inside the Capitol and continues to do so to this day. For the last four years the Capitol was off limits because of construction and the event shifted to the State Capitol State Park in front of the building. Although this Saturday’s weather was blustery and rainy in the true Oregon early spring tradition, a good-sized crowd still showed up to enjoy the events that ranged from a Taiko drumming performance to a kimono art show. Salemites strolled  between rain showers under the still tightly budded cherry trees hung with lanterns, the blossoms yet to come. The State Capitol State Park will be open through March 31 for nighttime viewing of the cherry trees and picnicking from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Parking is free on weekends. For more information, call Capitol Visitor Services at 503-986-1388 or visit oregoncapitol.com/events. John Kedzie holds Emma Kedzie, 18 months, up so she can see the lanterns in the cherry trees at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) People enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Cherry trees are adorned with lanterns at Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) People enjoy the cherry trees at Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Edhel Bruhal arranges koto-ji on his koto before the start of the Willamette Koto Club concert at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. The koto-ji are adjustable string bridges that are placed on the body of the koto to create a variety of scales. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Nana Bellerud from the Sogetsu School demonstrates Ikebana flower arranging at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) People take shelter during a rain shower at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Koto master Masumi Timson, plays with the Willamette Koto Club at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Kazki Quick, 9, and Inara Hessldahl, 10, endure the rain before the kimono show at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Yoichi Kozuma demonstrates his skill in martial arts at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Chris and Nenette Sequeira watch a martial arts demonstration at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Salem Mayor Julie Hoy reads a proclamation with Senate President Rob Wagner during the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Mark Kendall of the Willamette Valley Bonsai Society works on his 35-year-old bonsai tree at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Kai Gurnsey and Kate Williamson enjoy a little cosplay while attending the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Ayano Hiruma demonstrates Japanese calligraphy by writing names on paper at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Sean Olson demonstrates making a teru teru bōzu, a traditional Japanese doll hung outside doors or windows to ward off rain and bring sunny weather. He appeared at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Caitlin Yang and other members of the Willamette Koto Club wait to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Monmouth Taiko performs at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) A Monmouth Taiko member plays an okedo daiko style drum at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Sonoko Woodrum plays a nagado drum at the Monmouth Taiko performance at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Sonoko Woodrum warms up on the fue, a type of Japanese flute, for the Monmouth Taiko performance at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March. 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Karen Guillen from Capital City Calligraphers hangs up a weather message for attendees to take at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March. 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Julian Teran looks at a Japanese book at the Cherry Blossom Festival held at the Oregon State Capitol State Park on Saturday, March. 15, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: info@salemreporter.com. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE – If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure, $12/month: SUBSCRIBE. The post No blossoms, but rainy cherry festival still proves a hit in Salem appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less