🌸 HANAMI PICNIC 2026 🌸
Hanami (花見) or "flower viewing" in Japanese, is a cherished tradition celebrating the ephemeral splendor of cherry blossoms, known as "sakura." It's a poetic homage to life's transient beauty, embraced with contemplation and joy.
A Spring Ritual of Beauty, Breath, and Belonging
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Gates open at 12:00 pm · Event concludes at 4:30 pm · Property closes at 5:00 pm
Orchard Tour at 12:30 pm
Each May, as the first pale petals unfurl, we open our gates for a single, luminous afternoon that celebrates the ancient Japanese tradition of hanami—the art of pausing to witness fleeting beauty. At Blenheim Park Maine, our sakura are still young, not yet forming the billowing canopy they will one day become. But there is a quiet magic in these early years too. We invite you to grow with us as the orchards mature, and to delight in the promise of what is coming.
A Walk Through the Blossoms
Your Hanami experience begins with a guided tour of our Sour Cherry Orchard and Cherry Blossom Orchard—Maine’s largest sour cherry orchard and New England’s only ornamental sakura orchard. As you stroll among the trees, you’ll learn about the varietals we grow, our natural farming practices, and the cultural history of the cherry blossom. Along the way, enjoy tastes of our small-batch, cherry-based creations and a glimpse into the craft behind them.
Hanami, a Japanese tradition, embodies the poetic dance between fleeting beauty and eternal appreciation.
BYO Picnic in the Private Gardens of a Century-Old Estate
After the orchard tour, we’ll make our way to the private lakeside gardens of Blenheim Park’s historic estate. Here, beneath the open sky and beside the sparkling waters of McCurdy Pond, your picnic awaits.
Bring a basket brimming with your favorite foods and beverages—everything from elegant lunches to casual afternoon snacks—and we’ll provide the setting:
A beautiful garden table with chairs, dressed with a lace cloth and bud vase, or a classic picnic blanket if you prefer to dine low to the ground
A portrait among the cherry blossoms, taken during your visit
A handcrafted sakura-inspired libation paired with a classic cherry blossom sweet
Vintage lawn and garden games scattered throughout the grounds
Hammocks by the lake, perfect for lingering
Samples of our estate-grown cherry products
A $10 coupon to use in our farm store
As you picnic, you’ll be serenaded by loons, soft vintage melodies, and the hush of spring breezes—an atmosphere that feels both timeless and intimately connected to the land.
A Note on Our Blossoms
Cherry blossom season in Maine is wonderfully unpredictable. Depending on weather, the bloom may arrive early or linger late—and each year brings its own character. While our orchards are still young, the viewing becomes lovelier with each passing spring. Hanami is, at its heart, an invitation to appreciate beauty as it is now, even as we dream of what it will become.
Event Details at a Glance
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Gates Open: 12:00 pm
Orchard Tour: 12:30 pm
Picnic & Garden Time: Until 4:30 pm
Farm Store & Grounds Close: 5:00 pm
Location: Blenheim Park Maine, private estate gardens and lakefront
Bring: Your own picnic and beverages
We Provide: Tables/chairs or picnic blankets, sakura libation + sweet, portrait, games, product samples, $10 farm-store coupon, and a beautifully prepared environment
We are a working farm and not open to the public outside of our scheduled events.
haru kaze ni / fukidashi warau / hana mogana
A Spring breeze is blowing
I’m bursting with laughter
— wishing for flowers
Matsuo Basho, Spring, 1668
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
One ticket is for one person. If booking for a group please select the appropriate number in your party. Children 12 and under are free.
Each paid ticket includes an orchard tour, a $10 coupon for our Farm Store, samples of our products and a picnic setting, lakeside. Pack your own picnic!
In the event of rain, we will reschedule the picnic to Sunday May 24. Guests will be welcome to visit the Farm Store, all weather.
Please bring your own beverages. Blenheim Park is located in a town which has been ‘dry’ since Prohibition therefore we are not licensed to sell alcohol. We will have delicious cherry-based mocktails and other beverages available for you to purchase on site.
Not everyone shares our love of pets, so please leave yours at home for this event.
For the safety and enjoyment of all guests, we ask that you observe our no-smoking policy throughout the property, thank you.
Protecting the beautiful waterways of Maine is a role we’re passionate about, we are in fact Stewards of the McCurdy Islands Preserve, so we ask you not to bring paper napkins or any other picnic goods likely to ‘take flight’ so they do not end up in the lake.
Our aim is to provide you with a lovely, elegant afternoon, so thank you for not bringing in outside seating, grills or electronic music devices. (Lutes, Harps, Sitars and Mandolins welcome). ;)
Please advise in advance if anyone in your group has special needs so we are able to make a plan to accommodate them, since we are a working farm and some areas of the orchard are not readily wheelchair accessible. Thank you.
WORKING FARM — NO LIABILITY FOR INJURY
Warning: Under Maine law, there is no liability for injury to a participant in an agritourism activity conducted at this agritourism location if such injury results from the inherent risks of the agritourism activity. Inherent risks of agritourism activities include, among others, risks of injury inherent to land, equipment and animals, as well as the potential for injury if you act in a negligent manner. You are assuming the risk of participating in this agritourism activity.
