West Covina Cherry Blossom Festival This Saturday

WEST COVINA — The East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center and Plaza West Covina will present the 2018 Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, March 17, from 12 to 6 p.m. at Plaza West Covina, 112 Plaza Dr. between Sunset Avenue and South Vincent Avenue in West Covina.

Japanese classical dance at last year’s West Covina Cherry Blossom Festival.

The festival is an opportunity for the city to welcome residents of the local community as well as visitors from the greater community to gather with the common enjoyment, interest and desire of experiencing Japanese flavors, sights and sounds. This is a chance to learn about Japanese culture, enjoy traditional music and dance performances, watch a judo demonstration, shop a wide variety of merchants, and be entertained by taiko drums.

Cultural performances will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the last performance will be at 5:30 p.m.

Free admission. To accommodate visitors, additional parking will be available at a nearby satellite lot. Call (626) 960-2566 or go online to http://esgvjcc.org for more information. Shuttle services from that lot will be provided all day by the City of West Covina.

Entertainment schedule:

12:30 p.m.: Kishin Daiko

1:00 p.m.: Presentations

1:30 p.m.: ESGVJCC Halau Pua Lehua

2:00 p.m.: Covina Kendo Dojo

2:30 p.m.: Hoshun Minyo Dance Group

3:00 p.m.: ESGVJCC Shinkendo

3:30 p.m.: Biwa by Nobuko Fukatsu

4:00 p.m.: Eibukan Goju Ryu Karate Do

4:30 p.m.: Kotoist Emily Kinaga Wong

5:00 p.m.: West Covina Judo Dojo

5:30 p.m.: Bando Hidesomi Nihon Buyo Class