International Cherry Blossom Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids International Cherry Blossom Festival |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Status | Active |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Macon, Georgia |
| Inaugurated | 1982 |
| Website | International Cherry Blossom Festival Online |
The International Cherry Blossom Festival is a super fun event held every spring in Macon, Georgia. Macon is even called the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World"! That's because it has about 300,000 to 350,000 beautiful Yoshino Cherry Trees. These trees bloom in late March each year, filling the city with pink and white flowers. The festival has been happening since 1982, except for 2020 when it was cancelled. It lasts for ten days and has lots of activities for everyone. Just so you know, this festival is different from the one in Washington, D.C..
Contents
The Story of the Cherry Blossom Festival
How it All Started
A man named William A. Fickling, Sr., who was a realtor in Macon, loved the Yoshino Cherry Trees in his own yard. He didn't know what kind of trees they were or that they weren't originally from the South.
In 1952, during a trip to Washington, D.C., he saw trees that looked just like his. He compared samples from his trees to those at the Tidal Basin and found they were the same! After this discovery, Mr. Fickling started to grow more of these trees from cuttings and gave them away to people in the community. He became known as Macon's Johnny Appleseed.
A new resident in Macon, Carolyn Crayton, also noticed the beautiful trees. She talked to Mr. Fickling about planting even more trees around the city. Mr. Fickling agreed to donate the trees if she would help organize the planting. On November 24, 1973, the first Yoshino cherry trees were planted. The community planted about 500 trees along Wesleyan Woods Drive and other nearby roads. Over the years, these trees became a common and special symbol of Macon.
The First Festival Celebration
By 1982, Mr. Fickling had donated about 30,000 trees! Carolyn Crayton had an idea to celebrate Mr. Fickling and all the trees he brought to Macon. She and The Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission worked together to create an event. Macon celebrated its very first International Cherry Blossom Festival that spring. The event lasted three days and was held at the Wesleyan College campus. It was planned as a one-time event, but everyone loved it so much that it became an annual tradition!
The Festival Today
The festival has continued almost every year. In 2020, it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 39th festival was then held in 2021. Even after William Fickling's passing, the Fickling Family Foundation continues to donate Yoshino trees. This means the community can keep planting more beautiful cherry trees each year.
Organizing and Enjoying the Festival
How the Festival is Organized
Planning for the festival starts many months before it happens. The Cherry Blossom Board of Directors and their staff work hard to plan events and find sponsors. They also work with the community to make the festival a success. Many volunteers, like the Think Pink committee, help by setting up and running events.
As the festival gets closer, staff and volunteers make final preparations. They even dye the fountain water pink and paint cherry blossoms around the city! The festival board also works with the Bibb County Sheriff's office to keep everyone safe during the event.
Fun Festival Events
Each year, the Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The festival often includes exciting animal shows, concerts, and plays. There are also international showcase events, house tours, and fashion shows. You can find galas, luncheons, marathons, dances, fair rides, and bus tours along the beautiful Cherry Blossom trails. While some events change each year, here are some popular annual activities:
- Pink Pancake Breakfast - The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department hosts this breakfast in Central City Park. It started in 1990 and helps raise money for the American Cancer Society.
- Mulberry Street Festival - This is an outdoor art and crafts show held on Mulberry Street in downtown Macon. It features talented artists from all over the country.
- International Food Fair - Held alongside the Mulberry Street Festival, this fair sells delicious food from different cultures around the world.
- Cherry Blossom Street Party - Bands and performers play live rock, blues, country, and other types of music at night.
- Cherry Blossom Pageant - A royal court is chosen each year, including one queen and four princesses.
- Air Show - Held at the Macon Downtown Airport, this show features amazing aerobatic performances by military airplanes.
- Cherry Blossom Parade - Floats, marching bands, and performers parade through historic downtown Macon.
- Ocmulgee Lantern Light Tour - This is a guided walk at twilight through the trails of Ocmulgee National Monument.
- Tunes and Balloons Festival Finale - Hot air balloons, live music, family activities, and fireworks close out the festival. It takes place on the Middle Georgia State University Macon campus.
Global Connections and Friendship
The festival welcomes visitors from all over the world. Officials and guests from countries like Taiwan, Russia, and Uganda have visited. They have even joined the parades to celebrate the festival's theme: "love, beauty, and international friendship." In 2013, Jean-Patrick Courtois, the mayor of Mâcon, France, visited the festival. This celebrated 40 years of Macon, Georgia, and Mâcon, France, being "sister cities."
Japan has a special connection with the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival. At the very first festival, representatives from Kurobe, which is Macon's sister city in Japan, came to visit. Since then, Kurobe has sent gifts to the festival every year, from lanterns to flowers.
Festival's Impact on the Economy
The Macon Cherry Blossom Festival is a non-profit organization, which means it's a 501(c)3 organization. It gets most of its money from sponsors. However, the festival also brings a lot of money into Macon's economy. In 2018, over 100,000 people visited the festival. About 30 percent of those visitors came from out of town.
That same year, it was estimated that the festival itself brought in about $3 million. Visitors also spend money at hotels, shops, restaurants, and other tourist spots in the area. This helps the local economy even more. A study by the University of Georgia found that the festival's total economic impact each year is usually between $10 million and $12 million.
Awards and Recognition
The International Cherry Blossom Festival has received recognition from the International Festivals and Events Association. The festival has won many Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle awards, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These awards are given for different areas, such as the festival's promotions, events, sponsorships, merchandise, media campaigns, and how it connects with the community.
