Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Festival 2022

A short drive from Harrison is Branch Brook Park in North Newark.  The park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the famed landscape architect.  Olmsted also designed Central Park in New York City. The park was envisioned in 1862 but construction did not start until 1896. 

In 1927, Caroline Bamberger Fuld donated two thousand Japanese flowering cherry trees to Branch Brook Park.  The cherry trees rival and some say surpass, the cherry trees in Washington, D.C.  The donation was monumental but it was augmented by the contributions of Frederick Law Olmstead whose designers laid out the trees on the tiered slopes of the park in a manner that the trees would be seen in Japan and thus distinguished Branch Brook Park’s Cherry Blossom trees as exceptional.  The number of trees has grown to 3000 and expanded beyond its original area to adjoining areas including a part of the park that is in neighboring Bellville NJ.  There was however a time when the number of trees had diminished only to a little over a 1000 trees.

Frederick Law Olmsted believed that parks should be designed to embody the view that all people, regardless of their position in society were entitled to fresh air, quiet places, and the beauty that only nature can provide.  We all agree that Newark’s Branch Brook Park and New York City’s Central Park fulfill that vision.

The Cherry Blossoms as of today (April 3, 2022) is not in full bloom. The recent cold weather has delayed the blossoms but in the next few days and within the week, the magnificent display of cherry blossoms will calm and amaze anyone that takes a ride through the park and/or parks their car and walks along the pathways that Frederick Law Olmsted and his associates designed and laid out to fulfill their vision of what a park should be. The full bloom is expected from Tuesday, April 5th through the following Tuesday, April 12^th.  If you have free time during the week, it is suggested you go during the week as the word has spread about the beauty of the cherry blossoms, that large crowds visit on the weekends.

More information on Branch Brook Park’s Cherry Blossom Festival is available by clicking on the blue Cherry Blossom Festival link. 

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo has been instrumental in upgrading Essex County Parks including Branch Brook Park.  County Executive  DiVincenzo has collaborated  with the Branch Brook Park Alliance to the benefit of all residents and visitors. There is no admission to the park but if you want to make a Donation, we are providing a link to the Branch Brook Park Alliance which accepts donations for the benefit of the park.  You can also purchase a Cherry Blossom Tree for the Alliance to plant in the part in your name or in honor of a loved one.

You can also obtain information from the Branch Brook Park Alliance including historical information on the park.

For more information, you can click on the blue text links in the article.

You can join the discussion about the Branch Brook Park and the Cherry Blossoms and share your pictures on our Discussion Board.