Clear skies and sunshine set the scene for the 17th annual Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival.
Bob Bugay of the Midori Bonsai Club gives a demonstration on the art of bonsai, using a wire to bend the trunk of a deodar cedar.
Friends and families on April 29 and 30 flocked in droves to the Memorial Park and the nearby Quinlan Community Center for a taste of Japanese culture and heritage. The event honored Cupertino's long-standing sister-city relationship with Toyokawa, Japan.
San Jose Taiko perform with traditional Japanese drums during the festivities.
Cupertino and Toyokawa began as sister cities in 1978, when the Japanese city made a gift of the 200 cherry trees in Memorial Park that will be in full bloom for the festival. A portion of the proceeds from this year's festival will be used to send two local junior high school students and two chaperones to Toyokawa later this year for a cultural exchange.
Jillian Wolgast, 5, of Cupertino, snaps along with the drums as a dancer performs on stage.
Along with taiko drumming groups and martial arts exhibitions, arts and crafts booths set up around the park and offered numerous activities, including paper sculptures, pottery, dolls, kimonos, Japanese antiques and photos.
Meide Zhu (left) and Shihe Chen, both of Santa Clara, check out the flower arranging exhibit.
At Quinlan, several cultural displays and demonstrations featured subjects such as origami, flower arranging, brush painting, calligraphy and Japanese harp.
Cupertino, California Since 1947
