International Cherry Blossom Festival

The tradition & historical record

The International Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Macon, Georgia, every spring. Macon, known as the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World," has around 300,000–350,000 Yoshino Cherry Trees that bloom around the city in late March every year. The festival, held to coincide with the typical blooming period, lasts for ten days and features events for people of all ages. It has been an annual event since 1982, though the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival is not associated with the National Cherry Blossom Festival held in Washington, D.C. ¹

William A. Fickling, Sr., a local realtor, discovered the beauty of the Yoshino Cherry Trees in his own yard. At the time, he did not know the tree's species or that the species is not native to the South. During a trip to Washington, D.C. in 1952, he discovered a tree that looked identical to the ones growing in his yard. After comparing cut samples from each tree to those at the Tidal Basin, he discovered that they matched. Following this discovery, Fickling began to propagate the trees and give them away to those in the community. He became known as Macon's Johnny Appleseed. A new resident to Macon, Carolyn Crayton, noticed the trees and thought they were beautiful. She approached Fickling at a picnic and spoke about planting more trees throughout Macon. To start the project, Fickling agreed to donate the trees if she would organize the planting. On November 24, 1973, the first Yoshino cherry trees were planted. The community planted around 500 trees down Wesleyan Woods Drive and along Guerry Drive and Oxford Road. Over the years, the trees became a common sight around the city and grew to become an identifying symbol of the city. ¹

Fickling donated about 30,000 trees by 1982. Crayton had the idea to celebrate Fickling and the trees he brought to the city. Her and The Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission worked to create the event. Macon celebrated its first International Cherry Blossom Festival that spring. The event lasted three days and was held at the Wesleyan College campus. Initially, it was meant to be a one time event, but it was so well received it became an annual celebration. ¹

There was no event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the 39th was deferred to 2021. The community continues to plant Yoshinos each year with the trees being donated by the Fickling Family Foundation after William Fickling's death. ¹

Festival organization is started months in advance of each festival. During this time, the Cherry Blossom board of directors and staff work on planning events, securing sponsors and working with the community to produce the festival. Volunteers from the community, like the Think Pink committee, also contribute to the festival through setting up and running events. In the approaching days of the festival, staff and volunteers make final preparations for the festival. Fountain water is dyed pink and cherry blossoms are painted around the area. The festival board also works together with Bibb County Sheriff's office to secure the festival as it is going on. ¹

Each year the Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The festival often holds animal shows, concerts, theatrical performances, international showcase events, house tours, fashion shows, galas, luncheons, marathons, dances, fair rides, and bus tours along scenic Cherry Blossom trails. While some events vary each year, annual events include: ¹

Pink Pancake Breakfast- The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department hosts the breakfast in Central City park. The event began in 1990 and serves as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Mulberry Street Festival - An outdoor fine arts and crafts show held on Mulberry Street in downtown Macon, featuring artists from around the nation. International Food Fair - Held with the Mulberry Street Festival, it sells food from traditions around the world. Presented by Mellow Mushroom Macon. Cherry Blossom Street Party - Bands and performers of rock, blues, country, and other genres play live music at night. Cherry Blossom Pageant - A royal court of one queen and four princesses are chosen every year. Air Show - Held every year at the Macon Downtown Airport, it features aerobatic performances by military airplanes. Cherry Blossom Parade- Floats, marching bands, and performers ride around historic downtown Macon. Ocmulgee Lantern Light Tour - A guided twilight walk 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. ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “International Cherry Blossom Festival”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

International Cherry Blossom Festival is Festival in Macon, Georgia, USA, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 1 external register, which can be verified through the citation. ²