Cherry Blossom Festival set for March 20–29 with family events, parades and expanded vendor offerings

Hannah Diaz, director of marketing and fulfillment for the Cherry Blossom Festival, outlined plans for the 10‑day event set for March 20–29, saying the festival will include a headliner parade, family events such as the Ultimate Air Dogs and the wiener dog race, expanded vendor rows and a nightly concert series.

The festival—entering its 44th year, Diaz said—features downtown activities, a legacy parade weekend and multiple ticketed and free components intended to draw both local families and out‑of‑town visitors. "We are an amazing organization that brings people together. Every March, we have 10 days of events. We're going into our 44th festival," Diaz said.

Organizers emphasized that the festival combines legacy events and new attractions. Opening weekend will include the Cherry Blossom Ball (Friday), Ultimate Air Dogs (Saturday) and a car show and wiener dog race Saturday afternoon; the main parade and much larger downtown programming follow on Sunday. Diaz said the parade will include more than 100 parade units and a dozen bands, some traveling from outside the region.

Admission and logistics: Diaz said general admission is $10 and children under 10 are free. Weekday hours are noon–9 p.m.; Saturday hours extend 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday hours are noon–9 p.m. She also reiterated a clear‑bag/small‑bag security policy at entry and said strollers and diaper bags will be allowed and checked on entry.

Family and novelty programming will include food vendors (the organizers singled out a returning 'pickle pizza' vendor), a vendor marketplace with more than 25 new retail vendors, nightly tethered hot‑air‑balloon rises (weather permitting, 6–8 p.m.), a concert series focused on local acts, and specialty shows ranging from circus performers to racing pigs. Diaz noted new exhibits described during the program as enclosed animal displays and emphasized safety and enclosure for those exhibits.

On accessibility and viewing, organizers said Visit Mak will place a large screen at the wiener dog race and other family events so children and those farther back can see the action. Several participatory community competitions also continue, including the bed race, where longtime competitors such as the local fire department have been champions.

Economic and attendance claims: hosts and Diaz cited numeric figures for last year’s festival—"6.5 million last year" and "over 200,000 people"—but did not specify units or provide a public source when the figure was stated in the recording. Diaz framed the festival as a significant tourism driver and thanked county departments and sponsors for operational support.

Organization and staffing: Diaz said the festival is produced by a small paid staff (five full‑time employees) supported heavily by county departments and volunteers; she named Stacy Moore (president & CEO), Jenny O'Neal (director of finance & administration), Katie Hart (director of operations) and Robin Cochran (merchandising) as part of the core team.

Planning and communications: organizers urged visitors to consult cherryblos.com or the festival app for updates, itineraries and weather advisories; the app will be used for urgent notifications if weather or other information affects events.

Looking ahead: Diaz said organizers are watching weather and bloom timing closely—reference was made to 'chill hours' needed for peak bloom—and hope for good conditions around the festival's peak dates. "We're just hoping for the best now," she said.

For full schedules, vendor lists and any late‑registration details, organizers directed listeners to cherryblos.com or the festival app.