Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Runs March - April 2009

Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Runs March - April 2009

- Subaru Celebrates Japanese Heritage and Culture During Festival -

CHERRY HILL, N.J., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. returns for its sixth year as title sponsor of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, taking place in Philadelphia from March 6 - April 23, 2009.

"It is an honor for Subaru to sponsor this culturally rich event again," said Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Subaru of America, Inc. "We are proud to support events that our customers embrace and with the outdoors and environment topping the list, the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival is a perfect complement to their lifestyles."

The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia celebrates the turn of the season and the friendship between Philadelphia and Japan Japanese music, art, food and fun.

The Festival's centerpiece event is Sakura Sunday, a favorite for families in the Delaware Valley. Held this year on April 5 from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Fairmount Park's Horticulture Center, Sakura Sunday is an outdoor extravaganza of art, food and entertainment. All activities are free.

The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Gala takes place on March 28 in the grand setting of The Union League of Philadelphia. This elegant affair includes Kagamibiraki - a sake barrel-breaking ceremony - a tradition in Japan for marking a special occasion or important event. The evening also includes a silent auction and a kabuki dance performance by visiting artist Isaburo Hanayagi. Proceeds from the Gala benefit the Community Cherry Tree Planting Project.

Japanese Culture Week, at Liberty Place Rotunda, March 30 - April 2, again offers lively performances and demonstrations including martial arts, kimonos, and robotics. These free activities take place daily, noon to 2 p.m.

For more information on the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival and its events, visit http://jasgp.org/cherryblossomfestival/.


About the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia

The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, or Sakura Matsuri as it is known in Japanese, is an initiative to encourage a better understanding of the cultural, social, and educational customs of Japan and the United States. Japan has been celebrating the beauty of the elegant pink cherry blossom for hundreds of years with picnics under the trees accompanied by traditional music and dance. The Festival also seeks to beautify the Philadelphia landscape by annually planting and maintaining 100 cherry trees in Fairmount Park. In the spring of 2007, the JASGP finished planting 1,000 cherry trees to supplement the 1,600 flowering trees donated by Japanese government as a gesture of friendship in 1926.

Source: Subaru of America, Inc.