May 29, 2023. We’re done! We’ve seen them all. It was a wonderful year for ornamental cherries. Our Cherry Scouts have made new finds and have posted beautiful photos. It’s all memories now until next February. In the meantime, we’ll post some digital art. Here is one from Shirley Willard, inspired by an ‘Ama-no-gawa’ tree.

You can find blossom photos with descriptions that were featured here at Blog – Yesterday’s news and more – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca).
Scouts have shared their finds on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums.
You can find the new 2014 enlarged edition of the indispensable guide to Ornamental Cherries in Vancouver, written by Douglas Justice, Associate Director & Curator of Collections at UBC Botanical Garden. Purchase the full eBook version here on our Shop.
International Cherry Blossom Prediction Competition
The 2023 Second International Cherry Blossom Predition Competition closed on February 28. Vancouver’s location for the competition was again the ‘Akebono’ trees in Maple Grove Park, at the corner of SW Marine Drive and Yew Street. The peak blooming date for these trees in 2023 was determined to be April 7. You can find the photos of the blooming development at https://vcbf.ca/2023/04/09/yesterdays-news-2023-international-cherry-blossom-prediction-competition/.
Festival Favourites
Some of our festival favourite photo-op locations were shown here during the bloom season with current year photos and the approximate blooming dates. Red markers on our festival map show all our favourite locations. When we talk about Festival Favourites, we mean you will be happy you made the trip to see them to photograph them. When you’re there, remember the neighbours:
1) do not climb the trees
2) do not break the branches
3) be respectful of the residents who live on the street
4) do not stop in the middle of the street
5) keep your visit to a max of 15mins (cause really, how long does it take to snap a few photos?)
6) stay on city property, do not go on private property
7) try to stay off the grass, especially if you are wearing heels.
Mostly – be respectful to the environment and the residents. Remember that it is the residents who are responsible for caring for those trees.
Learn How to Take Cherry Blossom Photos with your phone thanks to Cakewalk Media for the tips!
Festival Favourites in bloom
No cherries are in bloom now. You too can become a Cherry Scout and share photos with us next year – see Cherry Scouts – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (vcbf.ca)
Festival Favourites no longer in bloom
These locations are a sample of the good photo-op locations that were reported on our forums at VCBF Neighbourhood Blogs | UBC Botanical Garden Forums in 2023.

Hastings-Sunrise Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 23

West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 24 to May 16

Grandview-Woodland Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 22

Langley City and Township Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 18

Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

New Westminster Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Langley City and Township Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11

West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 24 to May 8

Victoria-Fraserview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Victoria-Fraserview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Fairview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11

West Point Grey Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 19 to May 2

Oakridge Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27 to May 11

Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Sunset Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: May 1 to May 15

Fairview Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 27to May 11

West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 20 to May 3

Burnaby Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 20 to May 3

Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 12 to Apr 27

Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 19 to May 3

Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 12 to Apr 27

Kitsilano Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 10 to Apr 25

UBC Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 4 to Apr 19

Burnaby Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17

White Rock / South Surrey Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17

Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17

West Vancouver Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 1 to Apr 15

Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 16

Coquitlam Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 9 to Apr 23

Richmond Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 15

West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 19

Shaughnessy Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 29 to Apr 12

Riley Park Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 19

Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 2 to Apr 17

Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 16

Downtown Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 30 to Apr 16

West Vancouver Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Apr 1 to Apr 15

Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Blooming dates: Mar 22 to Apr 6

Hastings-Sunrise Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 25 to Apr 8.

Kerrisdale Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 29 to Apr 12.

Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5

Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 19 to Apr 4

West End / Stanley Park Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 19 to Apr 4

Richmond Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5

Kensington-Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood
Bloom Dates: Mar 18 to Apr 5