Spring would not be the same for Cindy Sipkin without a visit to see the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

"The colors are beautiful," Sipkin said. "Every month, it's pink trees in bloom."

Sipkin, who lives in Manhattan, loves Central Park, but she also appreciates the beauty of this garden.

"It's just an oasis. You hear birds. You hear children," she said. "You see different things in bloom each time you come."

The cherry blossoms are the garden's star springtime attraction. More than 200 cherry trees with more than 26 varieties, mainly Japanese, create a colorful canopy of white and pink in April and May.

In 2020, there was no Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, as the garden was closed for five months because of the pandemic. Last year, limits and restrictions were in place. This year, it's back to full capacity and full programming.
 
"It's so enthralling, enlivening to have the people back," Brooklyn Botanic Garden's president and CEO, Adrian Benepe said. "We are getting big crowds. We had 50,000 people last week."

This year, the garden decided not to have one large Cherry Blossom Festival. Instead, the festival will be spread out over several weekends, starting this weekend. "Weekends in Bloom" will feature musical and dance performances, as well as various educational programs.

"If we can spread it out, it doesn't feel quite as crowded," Benepe said. "And... if we have one rainy day, you still have many weekends of activities."

The Cherry Esplanade is the main attraction each year.

"It's a great time to bring your family out. Just walk around," arborist Chris Roddick said. "Take a deep breath and just enjoy the beauty around you."

For more information, head to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's website.