The U District Cherry Blossom Festival is timed for peak bloom.
If you’re planning to make the annual pilgrimage to Seattle’s University of Washington to see the cherry blossoms bloom this spring, don’t miss the U District Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s festival will be March 16 to April 1 in Seattle’s University District. It is timed to coincide with the peak bloom of the University’s cherry blossoms. Over 80 participating businesses in the U District will have cherry and blossom-themed food, drinks, and shopping specials for you to explore!
Note: this festival is not to be confused with the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival that takes place at Seattle Center in April.
Read on for more details!
The U District Cherry blossom festival is made up of participating businesses in the neighborhood. It’s a great way to show some support to local businesses while enjoying the beauty of the University’s blooming cherry blossoms for free. We suggest first taking a look around the festival’s website to decide which businesses’ specials catch your interest (although we also listed some standouts below). There is also a festival map you can consult.
Then on any day between March 16 and April 1, you can treat yourself to food, drinks, and shopping before or after viewing the cherry blossoms in the University’s quad. Some of the participating businesses are offering discounts, while others are concocting limited-time cherry blossom treats. All of them are within a 15-minute walk from the University of Washington.
Here are some festival highlights to check out!
Events
- The Seattle Cherry Blossom Run takes place on March 23, 24, and 30. You can register here for any one of the various cherry blossom runs on those days.
- The U District Farmers Market is every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You’ll find it at University Way NE (the “Ave”) between 50th & 52nd.
Food
Soon we’ll have the complete list of cherry blossom-themed treats that U District businesses will be offering. For now, check out these highlights from last year’s festival:
- Cherry fritters from Donut Factory (4336 Roosevelt Way NE)
- Sakura ice cream from Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery (4301 University Way NE)
- Sakurajima sauce: a seasonal cherry blossom dipping sauce for all bowls and sandwiches from Sizzle & Crunch (1313 NE 42nd Street)
- Sakura cream bun from Saint Bread (1421 NE Boat Street)
- Cherry blossom pizza from Pi Vegan Pizzeria (5301 Roosevelt Way NE)
- Blossom Pink Cloud coffee from Oh Bear Cafe (4708 11th Ave NE)
- Cherry blossom pink noodle soup from Kai’s Thai Street Food (1312 NE 43rd Street)
- Cherry blossom boba with soft serve from Cold Plate (5240 University Way NE)
- Sakura katsu burger and cherry blossom shake from Just Burgers (4510 University Way NE)
Drinks
There will also be lots of cherry blossom-themed beverages being offered by U District businesses, from milkshakes and lattes to cocktails and beer. Here are just a few that we loved from last year:
- Cherry Madrid latte at Leon Coffee House (1309 NE 45th Street)
- Cherry blossom frappe at Sip House (5001 Brooklyn Ave NE)
- Pink Lady Sweet Tea at Seattle Best Tea UW (4505 University Way NE)
- Cherry milkshake at Lu’s Seafood & Burgers (4752 University Way NE)
- Cherry milk tea at Xi’an Noodles (5259 University Way NE)
- Cherry Italian soda (with or without Red Bull) at Boba Smoothies (1409 NE 45th Street)
- Cherry margaritas and mojitos at Flowers Bar & Restaurant (4247 University Way NE)
- Cherry cider at Big Time Brewery (4133 University Way NE)
- Blossom Hunter Fruited Sour at Ladd & Lass Brewing (722 NE 45th Street)
- Cherry blossom cocktail at Agua Verde Cafe (1303 NE Boat Street)
Shopping and entertainment discounts
We’ll update this post soon with the retail deals and opportunities for you to check out in the U District during this year’s festival.
For more information, you can visit the U District Partnership website or follow them on Instagram for updates.
U District Cherry Blossom Festival
When: Saturday, March 16 to Monday, April 1, 2024
Where: University District
Cost: Free admission (participating vendor prices vary)