file photo of cherry blossoms in Waimea’ Church Row Park

(BIVN) – The 32nd Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025. 

The multi-venue event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and celebrates the annual blooming of historic cherry trees at Church Row Park.

A news release promoting the festival details this year’s honoree:

The 2025 festival honors the late Ruth Dick, who was a long-time festival participant as a member of Waimea Bon-yu Kai Bonsai Club. A Waimea resident and active club member, the Kaua‘i native annually exhibited her plants to the delight of festival goers. Year after year, she expertly offered bonsai care demonstrations and served as a volunteer plant doctor during the festival.

Mrs. Dick started practicing the art of bonsai in the 1980s, under the tutelage of late Bon-yu Kai members Isami Ishihara and Yutaka Kimura.

“I think the art of bonsai enabled my mom to connect with and honor her Japanese heritage,” shares daughter Michiko Spencer of Waimea. “My mom was always a plant person and bonsai opened a new door for her creativity as well.”

Spencer, who has assumed the care of her motherʻs impressive bonsai collection, has joined Waimea Bon-yu Kai to learn the skills ”to importantly keep the plants alive,” but adds the process provides a form of closure after her motherʻs death “as I know my caring for them would make her happy.”

Church Row Park in bloom, Feb. 6, 2016

In addition to bonsai activities, the festival offers hands-on mochi pounding, sake tasting, bon dancing, traditional tea ceremonies, food demonstrations by local chefs, broke da’ mouth food prepared by local organizations and loads of craft vendors. Performances can be enjoyed by festival goers at multiple venues.

Roberts Hawaii will provide a free transportation shuttle between Church Row Park and other venues, though walking is encouraged.

The Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is produced by the Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation’s Culture and Education Section with the help of a team of volunteers.