The Cherry Blossom Festival somehow manages to pack a whole lot of the things I love about Swarthmore all into one place. Unlike our other traditions, like the First Collection, it is not very old; it was started by Swarthmore’s Pan Asian Association (SPAA). Every year, it has been held on Swat’s beautiful arboretum campus by the Cherry Border when the cherries blossom in the spring, hosting student performances, and as with any other Swat on-campus event, lots of delicious food.
The festival was started just three years ago by SPAA and held its third annual celebration on April 6th in the Cherry Border. This place is incredibly picturesque and gorgeous; a lot of students here pose to take new photos to post on social media and some even get new professional headshots. The weather is lovely that time of the year in Philly and everybody is looking for outdoor activities.
A lot of outdoor events are held on Swarthmore’s campus. This is no coincidence and it is because Swarthmore has an incredibly beautiful arboretum campus which makes any festivity held outside several times better. And just like any other campus event, it is free to attend because we are a cash-free campus, and there is a ton of free delicious food served by food trucks and students. I personally feel everything tastes better when it is free and eaten outdoors.
I think that the greatest thing about the festival is that it was initiated by students; which is reflective of Swarthmore’s collaborative environment and the abundance of student-led initiatives on campus. Students are involved on campus and start their own clubs and those clubs start their own things like The Cherry Blossom Festival. All clubs get funding from the school and the funding is allocated by a student-elected body called the Student Budgetary Committee. Collaboration is not just between students and the administration but also between different organized student groups. My favorite ensemble on campus, the Swarthmore Taiko Ensemble, was also present at the event and gave the last performance that wrapped the festival up. I find Taiko to be the coolest performance group on campus (the drumming was used to set the marching pace of Japanese feudal troops). Just remember to put in earplugs before attending one of their shows since it can get really loud!
The Cherry Blossom Festival is just one of the many events held on campus that allows you to catch up with your friends without the need for texting and planning since you will be running into everybody if you attend. And because it is an all-campus event, you will get the chance to meet and befriend a lot of other students who you may not normally run into. Swarthmore is indeed a small school with a very close community, but 1600 people is still a lot, and events like this help you to get out of your own bubble and interact with the diverse array of people from all the other groups on campus and walks of life.