The annual festival drew more than 6,000 people to the Japanese Friendship Garden. NBC 7’s Adonis Albright reports.
You'll only find one place like it in all of San Diego -- the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. On Sunday, more than 6,000 people lined up for the 20th annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
"It's a very special moment to be able to see it," said Muska Kushkaki, who was taking in the sights of the cherry blossoms with her twin sister Marwa, and their friend Myan Nguyen.
While they took in the sights, others took in the sounds. The festival kicked off with a performance from San Diego Taiko, a local performance group that was first established in 2004.
The event also featured food, numerous local vendors, as well as a beer and sake garden.
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"It just grows every year. We get more and more guests and we love having everyone come in," said Cecilia Prado with the Japanese Friendship Garden.
The garden has been in San Diego for 34 years, and first opened to the public in 1991. It's a symbol of friendship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama.
The Japanese Friendship Garden said the cherry blossoms are expected to reach peak bloom in the coming days.
While Sunday was the last day of the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Japanese Friendship Garden is open year-round.
