WAIMEA, HAWAI‘I ISLAND—Think pink Saturday, Feb. 1 for the free 2020 Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival. The 27th annual event showcases the blooming of Waimea’s historic cherry trees and the Japanese tradition of viewing them—hanami. 

Held traditionally the first Saturday of February, the festival includes a variety of activities 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at multiple venues throughout Waimea. Look for pink banners identifying site locations sprawling from Parker Ranch Historic Homes to Church Row Park. 

Spend the day to experience an all-day lineup of Japanese and multi-cultural performing arts, plus hands-on demonstrations of bonsai, origami, traditional tea ceremony, fun mochi pounding and a host of colorful craft fairs. Festivities kick off with a blessing on the main entertainment stage behind Parker Ranch Center. 

The Cherry Choo Choo will again be running at the cherry tree-lined Church Row Park; keiki rides are $3 each.Tree climbing is prohibited. Roberts Hawaii provides free shuttle transportation among most venues, though walking is encouraged. 

The festival is produced by the Culture and Education Division of the Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation and presented by a host of community volunteers. For info, 808-961-8706, find updates on facebook: WaimeaCherryBlossomHeritageFestival.