Schedule of the Event:

April 5, 2025

Cherry Blossom Challenge Bike Race

Cost: $20 - $50, varies by race category

Race through the Park in the Cherry Blossom Challenge, an official NJBA event! Various races occur throughout the morning. Cash prizes! Registration fees apply to racers. Come cheer on the cyclists while enjoying a day in the park. Free to enter the Park and watch!

Location: Oval, Northern Division

Time: 7:00am to 1:00pm

April 6, 2025

Cherry Blossom 10K Run

We invite you to compete in this year’s Essex County Cherry Blossom 10K Coed Team Championship Run in Essex County Branch Brook Park. Race through the historic cherry tree groves and experience this natural wonder in a special way.

ENTRY FEES

$45 Pre-Registrants;
$40 USATF-NJ Member Pre-Registrants;
$50 General Race Day Registrants

No Refunds for any reason, All sales are final.

Packet Pick Up will be from 8:00AM-9:45AM on Sunday, April 6, 2025 same day of the race at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center Parking Lot underneath large tent.

AWARDS/GIFTS

10K Run Shirt will be given on a first come first serve basis.
Medal Given to all participants
Top 3 Overall Finishers (Male & Female) Gift Certificate & Hoodie
Top 3 Overall USATF (Male & Female) will get Gift Certificate & Hoodie
Top 3 Finishers in Each Age Category* will receive a Hoodie
Top 3 Overall Disabled Run Finishers a Hoodie

Benefit - $3 per entry will be donated to Special Olympics New Jersey!

Click Here to Register

Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm

April 12, 2025

Essex County One-Mile Fun Run

Join your family and classmates in Essex County Branch Brook Park on Saturday, April 12th for the 2025 One-Mile Fun Run, part of our annual Cherry Blossom Festival. In 2024, over 1,000 children aged 6 through 14 ran through Branch Brook Park to celebrate the blooming of the historic cherry tree groves. Many then stayed into the afternoon to enjoy activities, crafts, and performances at our Family Day event held directly after in the Prudential Concert Grove section of the park.

There is no fee to participate. The first step is to get your school to register by having them complete one school entry form by March 15th, 2025. Permission slips for each run participant must also be received prior to the start of the race. Children can enter individually on race day. All participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt and an award at the completion of the race.

Time: 10am – 11am

Location: Concert Grove, Southern Division

Essex County Family Day

Cost: FREE!

Visit the renovated and landscaped concert grove to enjoy an afternoon outdoors with your family. Work out in our paddle boats, construct a craft, get your face painted, jump in a bouncy house, climb a rock wall, or grab food from a food vendor and enjoy the cherry blossom trees!

Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm

Location: Concert Grove, Southern Division

April 13, 2025

Bloomfest!

Enjoy a family day in New Jersey’s pinkest park! A packed schedule of events includes Japanese cultural demonstrations, children's activities, live music, a crafter's marketplace, food and more!

Location: Essex County Branch Brook Park, Oval, Northern Division, Newark and Prudential Concert Grove, Clifton Avenue Entrance, Newark

Time: 11:00am to 5:00pm

Date: April 5 - April 13, 2025

Location: Branch Brook Park, Park Avenue and Lake Street, Newark, NJ 07107

Click Here For More Information