Bike The Blossoms
Imagine cycling under the canopies of fragrant, blooming pink cherry blossoms during the third-annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF). Then imagine enjoying mouth-watering croissants, delicious coffee, and sampling freshly made cheeses from the Fraser Valley. For the first time, the month-long festival which begins March 25 will be
partnering with Slow Food Vancouver to add a new event – Bike the Blossoms on April 19.
The free self-guided tour along designated city bike routes will highlight the peak blossoming of Kanzan cherry trees, with stops along the way to enjoy the culinary pleasures of eight of Vancouver’s unique eateries and coffee houses selected by Slow Food. Cyclists will be able to participate in a treasure hunt, sample local and artisan food by Fraser Valley farmers, and meet with local producers.
Linda Poole, the founder of the VCBF was inspired through her participation in the 2007 Slow Food Vancouver Agassiz Cycle Farm Tour. That 30 km self-guided bike tour allowed her and 400 participants to discover a variety of farms, interact with growers, and sample fresh products. She wanted to create something similar in the city. Poole
thought the festival would be perfect for a Slow Food event because it’s “about slowing down” to enjoy the short-lived ethereal blooms.
Zshu-Zshu Mark, the assistant leader of Slow Food Vancouver explains their philosophy is “good, clean, and fair food.” Mark hopes this event will make people aware of the Slow Food Movement. The international movement, started in Italy in 1989, is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic, member-supported organization founded to counteract fast food and the fast life. Its goals are to ensure local food traditions do not disappear, to connect people with the food they eat, and to educate consumers how their choices affect the earth. “Good doesn’t just refer to taste, but to how it’s produced” in regards to the environment, and fair compensation for the people who produce it. Many people are
very removed from how their food is produced, and they often place the importance of convenience over quality. As a result of busy lives, “people don’t gather around the table together,” says Mark. She hopes this event will slow people down to foster relationships both between urban dwellers and local rural producers, and within the community. “By giving them a wondering and beautiful event,” Mark believes this gentle approach will also encourage people to cycle.
The free self-guided bike tour begins at Vandusen Botantical Garden. Participants will receive a city bike route map highlighting boulevards of peak Kanzan cherry blossom viewing on a mainly flat-route, and selected eateries. Maps will also note hilly areas and alternative routes. While this is the first event, organizers are hoping for 1,000
participants who will cycle along 37th Avenue, Slocan, Oak, Gladstone, or Heather Streets and discover other cherry-blossomed neighbourhoods that they might not otherwise see.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
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