Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival will bloom after avoiding funding crisis
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After a Vancouver developer’s insolvency threatened to cancel some of its popular events and activities, the Cherry Blossom Festival will fully bloom this spring thanks to some new buds.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF) announced today that new funding would ensure that it will launch as planned on April 1.
VCBF’s new presenting sponsor is Edge Construction, replacing the former title presenter Coromandel Properties. The latter was seeking protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act until it recently reached agreements with its lenders.
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“On behalf of our board, staff, volunteers and the thousands of Greater Vancouver residents and visitors who treasure the cherry blossoms and our wide range of programming, I want to extend our sincere thanks to our new sponsors,” said Michael Dove, executive director of VCBF, in a release. “It’s heartwarming to know that within just days of us putting out our call for help, these civic-minded Vancouver companies stepped up with an inspiring demonstration of generosity and community spirit.”
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival/Facebook
New funding for this year’s festival is being provided by the Yaletown BIA, Alfa Romeo and FIAT of Vancouver, Lotus of Vancouver and Polestar Cars Vancouver (part of GAIN Group).
The city-wide celebration will begin on April 1 with Vancouver’s largest outdoor picnic in David Lam Park in Yaletown. Another highly anticipated event is the Japan Fair being held at VanDusen Botanical Garden on April 15 and 16.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival/Facebook
“Helping to improve local communities and complimenting the natural beauty of Vancouver is core to who we are,” said Jaime Tarriba, Principal of Edge Construction, in a statement. “Spring is when Vancouver comes alive and there is no better way to celebrate this seasonal and mental shift than the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
“When we learned the festival was in jeopardy without a lead sponsor, we felt compelled to take action as a way of giving back to the community.”
VCBF organizers added that now that the festival is on stable financial footing, all 2023 programs and events will proceed as planned.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2023
When: April 1 to 23, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations around Metro Vancouver
With files from Kenneth Chan