23rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival returns to Monterey Park
The 23rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival returned for the first time since the pandemic.
It was a time to celebrate spring and for the community to come together nearly three months after the town was rocked by the mass shooting.
"It was extremely tragic and i saw there were booths for healing... you get to write down any messages you wanted to write to the community and i think it's really important," said Arianna Camarena, festival go-er. "I think it's important for us all to engage with each other especially we were so disconnected especially after the pandemic and the quarantine everyone was just very separate
People of all ages attended the festival, which attracted crowds across the region. Many vendors traveled in town to show their support for a community still grieving.
"I think it is a healing for people because we were skeptical about how many people would turn out and of all the years we've been here this seems to be the most people that came out," said Maurice Bega, a vendor at the event.
Maurice Bega traveled from Las Vegas to showcase his handmade jewelry.
He was among the many nationwide shaken after a gunman killed 11 people and injured nine others at the star ballroom dance studio in Monterrey Park back in January.
Festival goers said they were thrilled to come back to the event in person post-pandemic. Another plus - showing some love to the many local businesses still maintaining through it all.
The Cherry Blossom Festival will be in Barnes Park again on Sunday and it will go until 6 p.m.
