“In a bold and strategic move to expand the footprint of the Festival beyond the iconic springtime event held in March of each year, the Cherry Blossom Festival (CBF) is proud to present the first ever Fall Schedule of Events,” states Jake Ferro, President of CBF. The Fall Schedule of Events will run from September through November with an array of exciting activities and will be followed by the much-anticipated Spring Schedule of Events to roll out in January 2015. Also being unveiled for the first time ever is the creation of the Cherry Blossom Festival Endowment Fund – please see below for more details. 

Headlining the Fall Schedule are the following three events:

• #PraiseFest: 9.20.14 | Washington Park
• Spirits in the Courtyard: 10.23.14 | The Blacksmith Shop
• Battle of the Bands: 11.02.14 | Henderson Stadium

#PraiseFest is a free, outdoor, inspirational concert in Washington Park. Enjoy live music from church groups and local, inspirational recording artists featuring Grammy-nominated Bishop William Murphy and Stellar Award Winner Isaac Carree. The event is free to the public and will start at 4pm. There will also be activities for children, vendors, and food for purchase on site. Each attendee is asked to bring a canned good which will benefit the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.

Spirits in the Courtyard will be a unique Festival fundraising event filled with food, drink, entertainment, and a large live and silent auction from 6pm-9pm at The Blacksmith Shop. The CBF Art Reception previously celebrated in November of each year will be an exciting part of this event. Each guest will have the chance to win a custom-designed pink golf cart and trailer (a $9,000 value), courtesy of Drew Expositions. There are only 400 tickets available for this event which greatly increases your chances for winning the golf court and trailer! You may purchase tickets until they sell out at CherryBlossom.com and at the Cherry Blossom Festival Office (794 Cherry Street). Guests are encouraged to wear pink and black in Cherry Blossom spirit. A portion of each ticket sold from this event will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Battle of the Bands will feature high school marching bands from across Middle Georgia at 3pm at Henderson Stadium. This exciting event gives these marching bands an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of the community, friends, and family. A portion of tickets sold will be given to the band programs directly. Tickets will be available for purchase directly from any of the participating schools as well as at the Cherry Blossom Festival Office. Continue to check back at CherryBlossom.com for a complete list of participating schools and additional information.

Cherry Blossom Festival Endowment Fund

The Cherry Blossom Festival, a 501(c)3 organization, is proud to unveil the creation of an Endowment Fund with the purpose of establishing a stronger foundation for the future and sustaining the profitability of the Festival for many years to come. The Endowment Fund will be managed by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and offers Festival lovers an opportunity to bequeath cash as well as items to the Fund in order to support the Festival’s long-term stability. “Many community leaders have suggested creating an Endowment Fund, and we believe that now is the best time to begin this wise investment in the Festival’s future,” said Jake Ferro, President of the Cherry Blossom Festival. “We are proud to partner with Kathryn Dennis and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, and we are thankful for their support of the Festival.”

Looking to the Future

Members of the CBF board, staff, and the Festival’s marketing arm, M&R Marketing Group, are incredibly excited about these new initiatives. The Cherry Blossom Festival believes that these strategic moves will continue to prepare for the sustainability and profitability of the Festival in the long run.