Sokcho City "Festival Continues Until Cherry Blossoms Bloom"
Blooming Delayed Due to Cold Snap and Spring Rain
Sokcho City has decided to hold the ‘2024 Yeongnangho Cherry Blossom Festival’ twice. This is due to the cherry blossoms blooming later than expected because of unpredictable weather and a cold snap.
Recently, Sokcho City announced through its official Instagram account, “We have committed a grave sin. We cannot overcome the heavens,” and added, “The cherry blossoms are not blooming. So, we will hold the Yeongnangho Cherry Blossom Festival twice.” They stated, “If you cannot avoid it, endure it. The festival will continue until the cherry blossoms bloom!” and announced that the festival, originally scheduled for March 30 and 31, will be held once more on April 6 and 7.
On April 6-7, when full bloom is expected, some photo zones, night lighting zones, eco-friendly experiences, and busking performances will be operated again. Although cherry blossoms will not be visible during the festival this weekend, the city expects to see snow flowers due to the March spring snow.
Sokcho City is not the only one to extend its cherry blossom festival. Gumi City, which held the ‘2024 Youth, Geumocheon Cherry Blossom Festival’ from March 22 to 26, will extend the festival until March 31, when full bloom is expected.
On the 29th, the opening day of the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival, citizens are walking under cherry blossom trees on Yeouiseo-ro in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Yeongdeungpo-gu will hold the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival from this day until April 2 around the National Assembly area on Yeouiseo-ro. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Earlier, as unusually high temperatures persisted in early March, some spring flower festivals moved their schedules forward, anticipating an earlier bloom than usual. However, following the high temperatures, frequent cold snaps and spring rains, harsher than usual, delayed the blooming, causing difficulties. Cherry blossoms bloom when temperatures stay above 10 degrees Celsius and there is sufficient sunlight.
Timing the cherry blossom bloom is like catching a star from the sky. Last year, Songpa-gu, which held a ‘cherry blossom festival without cherry blossoms,’ changed the festival name from ‘Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival’ to ‘Lake Spring Festival’ because most of the cherry blossoms had already fallen.
The Korea Meteorological Administration provides the blooming status of major cherry blossom and azalea clusters nationwide through its Weather Nuri service. According to Weather Nuri, among 13 observation sites nationwide, cherry blossoms have bloomed only in the southern regions of △ Namcheon-dong, Busan Metropolitan City △ Ssanggyesa, Hadong-gun, Gyeongnam △ Yeojwacheon, Jinhae, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
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