As spring officially turned to summer and record-high temperatures hit the Denver area, those in attendance at the 51st annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday found different ways to stay cool.

The festival, taking place within and in front of the Denver Buddhist Temple on Lawrence Street in LoDo, featured activities including music and dance performances, Buddhist talks, Japanese woodworking demonstrations, children’s crafts and dozens of vendors selling cultural paraphernalia as well as food and drink.

The event came as 99-degree temperatures baking Denver for the second consecutive day. Some in attendance, including Carolyn Opperman, bought parasols to give themselves some mobile shade.

Denver weather: 100 degrees forecast for Friday, the first day of summer

“I got this for some shade,” Opperman said, referring to the parasol resting on her shoulder. “It’s so hot out.”

Put on every year for 51 years by the temple — and in partnership with the Sakura Foundation since 2016 — this year’s iteration of the festival featured vendors selling items including artwork, calligraphy, kimonos, bonsai trees and the aforementioned parasols.

A variety of food options were available as well, including cold American and Japanese sodas, shaved ice and chilled sake, which many indulged in to stay cool. Additionally, several booths offered hot food — including dumplings, teriyaki bowls and various types of sushi — made by people affiliated with the temple.

“A lot of these recipes have been perfected over the last 51 years,” said Stacey Shigaya, executive director of the Sakura Foundation. “To me, that’s what makes them the most special, that they originated from temple members.”

Staying safe amidst the heat was the emphasis of the day for many both putting on the festival and in attendance. Event organizers onstage in between performances reminded attendees to stay cool and hydrated, noting that alcohol is a diuretic and did not substitute for water.

The activities at the craft station reiterated the same message, with many children customizing their own paper fans with markers and popsicle sticks. Moreover, attendee Lane Schumacher noted that the festival had several stands with people giving out free bottles of water to passers-by.

The festival has grown over the past 20 years, Shigaya said, most notably due to people becoming more interested in other cultures, especially Japan. 

“It’s been a very nice cultural experience,” Schumacher said. “The prices for everything have been very reasonable.”

Many of the vendors are originally from California, but travel across the country to similar festivals and have been participating in Denver’s for decades, Shigaya said. 

“The vendors really like Colorado, they like the way they get treated by people in Denver,” Shigaya said. “It’s an enjoyable time for them as well.”