‘Pinkest Party on Earth’ kicks off soon in Macon. The Ying Yang Twins, others to perform
The “Pinkest Party on Earth” is about to hit the streets of downtown Macon.
The 42nd annual International Cherry Blossom Festival will kick off March 15 and you will never guess who will be performing as special guests.
For the 10 days following kick off, festivalgoers will be seeing pink everywhere they go until the festivities wrap up on March 24 with the Festival Finale. There will be events and activities each day, along with food booths and more.
Hannah Theus, Cherry Blossom Festival director of marketing, said there is a lot to be excited about this year.
“We have so many exciting things planned. Our sold out Cherry Blossom Ball will be incredible and our Race Day events including the Wiener Dog and Bed Race will be a crowd favorite as usual,” she said.
“We will also have a musical chair event in between the two where we have local celebrities participating in musical chairs wearing — wait for it — inflatable animal costumes.”
“The parade has a great lineup of marching bands, decorative floats and more,” Theus said. “Food truck frenzy and cherry market return the second weekend and is always a family favorite event; plus we have a stellar concert lineup this year.”
The colorful festival will also include nightly tethered hot air balloon rides at Carolyn Crayton Park, weather permitting.
Not only is the annual festival known all over the world, Theus said last year’s event had a more than $5 million economic impact on the community.
“As we welcome in spring, we love to celebrate with our community,” she said. “We are an internationally award-winning festival with superb recognition at the local, state, national and international level.”
“Additionally, we were proud to have a $5.5 million dollar economic impact last year, and will continue to strive to be an incredible legacy event that has something for everyone,” Theus said.
The festival kicks off March 15 at Carolyn Crayton Park located at 115 Willie Smokie Glover Drive.
Here’s the schedule of big events during the festival. A full list of events and shows can be found on the festival’s website.
Cherry Blossom Ball
When: March 15, 7-11 p.m.
Where: City Auditorium
What: A fabulous dining experience by The Grand Gourmet, incredible décor by Mary Pinson, a special performance by Robert McDuffie, and entertainment by the Atlanta Groove Factory.
Wiener Dog Race
When: March 16, noon-1 p.m.
Where: Cherry Street
What: Dachshund Dogs race down Cherry Street for the title of “Fastest Wiener Dog in Middle Georgia!”
Bed Race
When: March 16, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Where: Cherry St. & Third St.
What: Cheer on teams as they race their creatively crafted bed down Cherry Street.
Cherry Blossom Parade
When: March 17, starts at 3 p.m.
Where: Cherry St. & First St.
What: Celebrate the community as participants showcase the best of Central Georgia with local marching bands, specialty floats and all of the fun.
Food Truck Frenzy and Cherry Market
When: March 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: Cherry St. & Third St.
What: Explore different tastes from around the South! Purchase food and gifts from regional vendors.
Festival Finale
When: March 24, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Carolyn Crayton Park
What: Join the party at the park to send the 42nd Cherry Blossom Festival out in blooming style! Enjoy fireworks, performance by ERNEST, and $10 tethered hot air balloon rides.
Entertainment and Concerts
The festival will include performances by Demun Jones, Parmalee, Cash’s Juke Joint, D.J. BlakJak, The Return, The Velcro Pygmies, A.J. the DJ, Blanco Brown with special guests The Ying Yang Twins, Bryce Leatherwood, and ERNEST.
A few things to remember:
▪ Admission is $10 per day and children under 10 are free
▪ There is a clear bag policy
▪ No pets allowed
▪ Children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older
▪ A full map showing where festival events are held and where parking is available will be located on the website.
Helpful festival links can be found below:
Cherry Blossom Festival Parade Route
History of the International Cherry Blossom Festival