Sunday, April 21, 2024
The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Parade brings color and cheer to the streets of San Francisco and Japantown! At a future in-person festival, the Grand Parade will occur on the final Sunday of the Festival. A lively procession of taiko drummers, dancers, and decorative floats will celebrate the Festival and the Japanese traditions that thrive here in Northern California.
Streams of colorful floats will be carrying individuals of Japanese American and other Asian American communities. Japanese classical (Buyo) and folk (Minyo) dance groups from around the U.S. and Japan will perform throughout the parade route like a myriad of floating butterflies. Highly honored Boy Scout Troops from the Japanese American communities will march proudly along the streets. The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen and her Court, as well as sister festival courts will cascade their way to Japantown in beautiful floats. Anchoring the parade is the hoisting of the San Francisco Taru Mikoshi by over one hundred strong individuals. It is a spectacle not to be missed, so be sure to come on out to cheer on the hundreds of participants!
Join the Cosplay
Interested in joining the Cosplay section of the Grand Parade?! Cosplayers can sign up in person at Japan Video and Media (1737 Post Street #305), by calling the store at (415)563-5220, or by emailing contact.mari771@yahoo.com.
Carry the Mikoshi
Join the community of Mikoshi carriers as part of the Grand Parade finale in Japantown on the final Sunday of the Festival from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Information will be posted on the SF Taru Mikoshi Ren Facebook page.
Parade Route
The Grand Parade will depart the Civic Center Plaza at 1:00 P.M., proceeding up Polk Street to Post Street, and ending in Japantown at Post and Fillmore Streets.