Event details
When: Saturday 16 August to Sunday 24 August, 9am to 4:45pm daily
Where: Auburn Botanic Gardens. Chiswick Road, Auburn
Cumberland City Council’s premier and award-winning Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival returns this August. Held over 9 enchanting days, Auburn Botanic Gardens transforms into a canopy of delicate pink blossoms combined with Japanese culture, cuisine and creativity.
Festival tickets
All festival tickets must be pre-booked online for entry into the festival.
Cumberland resident entry to the festival is free, however tickets are required to be pre-booked to reserve your spot as numbers are capped within the gardens.
Unfortunately, there are no sales booths at the event and door sales are not available. No entry will be permitted to the venue without a ticket.
For further information visit Festival ticket FAQs
Group bookings
Group bookings do not attract any additional discount.
Bookings up to 20
- For bookings of up to 20, complete two transactions until you have the total number of tickets required. Get tickets
- The maximum number of tickets per single transaction is 10 tickets.
Bookings of 21 or more
- For Group Bookings of 21 tickets or more, please complete the group bookings form
- For School Groups from Cumberland Local Government area, student and teacher entry is free.
- For School Groups outside Cumberland LGA price per students is $7.50 and $15 per teacher/adult.
What's happening at the festival
Daily from 9am to 4:45pm
The Cherry Blossom Trail
Take a self-guided walk through our Japanese Gardens and experience the wonder of our cherry blossom trees in different parts of the garden.
Daily from 9am to 4:45pm
Eat and Drink
Foodies can rejoice with a large food line-up of Japanese and Japanese-fusion food vendors offering diverse savoury and sweet treats.
Various days and times
The Sakura Stage
Experience the beating heart of the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival at The Sakura Stage, where the rich heritage of Japan comes alive through captivating traditional and contemporary performances.
Daily from 9am to 4:30pm
Takumi Pavilion
Step into the heart of Japanese tradition at the Takumi Pavilion. A lively hub where creativity, culture, and hands-on learning come together to spark wonder for all ages.
Daily from 9am to 4:45pm
The Zen Zone
Nestled in the serene Billabong area of Auburn Botanic Gardens, this dedicated quiet zone invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with nature. Surrounded by water, whispering trees, and native plants, the Zen Zone offers a calming space free from amplified sound and sensory overload.
Daily from 11:30AM to 4:45PM
Izakaya Amore
Step into Izakaya Amore, the festival’s exclusive bar where Japanese soul meets Italian passion, and the vibes are as refined as the cocktails.
Proudly presented by Bubble Bambino, this refined pop-up bar invites guests 18+ to enjoy the fusion of culture, sip something extraordinary and soak in a sensory experience that blends taste, sound and seasonal beauty. Enjoy a curated menu of Japanese beers, cocktails, a very special ‘Cherry Festival Lager’ and more!
Live Entertainment
Adding to the bar atmosphere is a rotating lineup of live entertainment, featuring jazz and rock inspired ensembles and nostalgic sounds of City Pop DJ’s, spinning retro Tokyo grooves and 80’s Japanese disco beats.
Daily from 10am to 3pm
Kimono Photo Experience
Create a moment to remember and a photo to treasure forever at the Kimono Photo Experience.
Slip into an elegant Japanese kimono and step into a picture-perfect scene beneath the striking Mt Fuji Torii Gate, set against a breathtaking backdrop of blooming cherry blossom trees. With the majestic silhouette of Mt Fuji rising in the distance and a sea of soft pink petals all around, this is your chance to capture the true essence of Japan in one unforgettable shot.
Perfect for families, friends, or solo adventurers, this isn’t just a photo opportunity. It’s a timeless memory waiting to be made.
Frequently asked questions
Festival tickets
All festival patrons require a ticket, even if you reside in Cumberland Local Government Area.
Tickets go on sale mid-July 2025.
All bookings must be transacted online. Tickets will not be available at the venue.
Travel and parking
We encourage patrons attending to catch public transport and plan your trip visit https://transportnsw.info/#/.
Travelling by car? Street parking is limited in surrounding streets around Auburn Botanic Gardens. To avoid any fines, please observe parking signs and do not park on resident driveways.
FREE shuttle buses will run between 8:30am and 5:30pm on festival days between Auburn Train Station and Auburn Botanic Gardens. Buses run in a loop approximately every 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Parking is available in Tavistock Avenue and Killeen Street which is a 5-minute walk to the venue.
Festival drop zone
Entry to the festival drop zone is via Killeen Street, Auburn. Please use the festival drop zone for drop off and pick up, uber or taxi. Please avoid drop off and pick up in the Bus Zone.
Local residents
We wish to advise local residents and businesses surrounding the event site of the potential increase in traffic, pedestrians and noise.
If you have any concerns or would like further information, please contact Council’s Events Coordinator on 8757 9000.
Pets
Pets are not permitted inside of Auburn Botanic Gardens unless they are a registered assistance animal. We have our own ecosystem and wildlife free in the gardens and introducing a pet can be harmful to wildlife.
Qualified Assistance Dogs can accompany their handler into Auburn Botanic Gardens.
Permits for assistance animals will need to be sighted by staff and approved permits are from:
- Transport for NSW permit
- Guide Dogs Australia
- Vision Australia Seeing Eye Dogs
- MindDog Australia or
- Australian Lion Hearing Dogs.
Assistance animals need to be registered with Council and owners are required to provide onsite Event staff with evidence of said registration.
More information can be found at: https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/microchipping-and-registration
Changes to traffic
A road closure will be in place on Chiswick Road, Auburn from 16 to 24 August 2025. This is to ensure the safety of event patrons entering/exiting the festival area.
Access to West Street will be accessible to residents only.
Wanting more information?
Should you require any further information, contact Council’s Coordinator Events on 8757 9000.
Sponsors
