Margate's Cherry Blossom Festival

Families, it’s time again to bask in the warmth of the sun, escape winter hibernation, don your funkiest tie-dye t-shirts, and welcome the rebirth of spring!

On Sunday, April 14, the Margate Business Association, in conjunction with the Margate Community Church, Sustainable Downbeach, and Margate Recreation, will celebrate the arrival of spring with their 2nd annual Cherry Blossom Festival presented by The Pet Salon. The free, family-friendly event will feature kids’ games and activities, live music by Dead Reckoning, tasty treats, wine and beer, arts and crafts, a ‘grooviest dog’ contest, and a host of environmental exhibitors.

The festival will be held from 12pm - 4pm on Ventnor Ave. between Sumner and Union Aves., directly in front of the Margate Community Church. Everyone is encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to spend the afternoon enjoying the fresh air and relaxing with friends and neighbors.

Activities:

On the grassy grounds of the Margate Community Church, the Margate Recreation Department will host kids’ activities ranging from egg and spoon races to potato sack and three-legged races. There will also be Tossinten and cornhole boards set up for play and practice in anticipation of the upcoming Margate Cornhole League seasons. The church will also feature a petting zoo, kids’ games, and a children’s craft booth to keep the little ones active. Tai Chi instructor Gerri Medoff opens the festival with her low-impact demonstrations which are free for all participants eager to understand its meditative and health benefits.

Live Music:

The Grateful Dead tribute band Dead Reckoning returns to the Cherry Blossom stage from 12-4 pm to perform an inspired set of Dead favorites, with their recognizable harmonies and Bob Weir-esque fueled vocals and guitar effects.

Food & Beverage:

Food trucks, concessionaires, and Wawa will be on site with a wide variety of items to satisfy all types of appetites. There will also be a selection of beers, Ready to Drink beverages, and award-winning Banfi wines to sample and/or purchase.

Crafts & Vendors:

Margate Mothers will gather the children to participate in free themed arts and crafts, and The Pet Salon will feature tie-dye wearable bandanas. Alisa Dirato will use her exquisite talents for face painting.

Sustainable Downbeach has assembled a collection of organizations featuring the Surfrider Foundation and their rain barrel demonstration, NJDEP AmeriCorps Watershed, Earth First Native Plant Nursery will display seed planting techniques, the Margate Terrapin Turtle Rescue Project, the Jacques Cousteau Estuary Research Reserve, Marine Mammal Stranding Center, and Busy Bees will all discuss the importance of protecting our wildlife, vegetation, marine life, oceans, and beaches.