(BIVN) – The annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival returns on February 7th, 2026. 

The 33rd annual event will again feature a full lineup of hands-on Japanese and multi-cultural activities, organizers say, as the town celebrates the blooming of historic cherry trees at Church Row Park. 

file photo of cherry blossoms in Waimea’ Church Row Park

Produced by the Hawai‘i County Parks and Recreation’s Culture and Education Section, this year’s event will honor long-time Waimea residents Fred and Nancy Nonaka. From the official event announcement: 

The 2026 festival honors Hawai‘i Island natives and long-time Waimea residents Fred and Nancy Nonaka. The festival power couple worked behind the scenes with each of them playing a dominant role— Fred with the planting and care of the many Church Row Park cherry trees while Nancy served as the spark plug behind the many cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities offered at the Kamuela Hongwanji Mission adjacent to Church Row Park.

A native of Umauma on the Hamakua Coast, Fred earned an agriculture degree from UH-Manoa and is a retired landscape contractor, owning Fred’s Nursery in Waimea for over 50 years. In addition to caring for the 75-some cherry trees all these years—the 89-year-old Living Treasure of Hawai‘i is still involved with pruning duties—Fred recalls that he was one of the local businessmen who first advocated for the planting of the trees in 1972. He says the idea was to attract people to Waimea when there was talk about a bypass road skirting the town.

“We figured we needed something and came up with the idea to plant the cherry trees,” details Fred, who worked with the Waimea Lions Club in the effort. “The trees and the festival are important as they draw people here and are what Waimea is known for now. I’m glad the festival is still going.”

Nancy, who grew up in ‘Ola‘a in the Puna District, attended business college on O’ahu. She and Fred both settled on Hawai‘i Island in the mid-1960s where Nancy was employed as a secretary for the State of Hawai‘i. Devout Buddhists, Nancy served as president of the Waimea Buddhist Women’s Association while Fred was a 10-year state president for the Honpa Hongwanji in Hawai‘i.

Serving for many years as the liaison between the festival and the Kamuela Hongwanji, Nancy has since retired. During her tenure, she oversaw the mission’s varied offerings in the on-site social hall that have evolved through the years: origami, calligraphy, sumi-e (black ink painting), mukimono (decorative vegetable carving) and the selling of handmade crafts such as soda can lanterns, blooming cherry blossom branches, plus plants and Oriental antiques. The location has also offered an abundance of primarily Asian foods prepared by church members, including the favorite warm Okinawan andagi, which is deep fried in a large wok during the festival.

Church Row Park in bloom, Feb. 6, 2016

This year’s multi-venue event will showcase “hands-on mochi pounding, sake tasting, bon dancing, traditional tea ceremonies, broke da’ mouth food prepared by local organizations, chef cooking demos, loads of craft vendors and viewing of the blooming cherry trees,” organizers say, as well as bonsai, quilt, local art and Japanese collectible displays. 

“Roberts Hawaii will provide free transportation shuttles between Church Row Park and other venues, though walking is encouraged,” organizers added.