AARP Shines Brightly During Lauded Cherry Blossom Festival

Each March, Macon becomes a pink, cotton-spun paradise as over 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all their glory. For 10 days, festival-lovers are treated to one of the most extravagant displays of springtime color in the nation as they visit the town referred to by Congressional Records as the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World.

Despite its humble beginnings, the festival has become one of the Top 20 Events in the South, Top 50 Events in the U.S., and Top 100 Events in North America. It has grown from a 3-day festival with 30 events to a month-long celebration featuring hundreds of events planned to entertain all ages and backgrounds.

As last year, AARP participated in the Cherry Blossom Festival with an Age-Friendly Macon-Bibb branded bus to demonstrate the organization's commitment to Livable Communities. In April 2012, Macon-Bibb was designated an Age-Friendly Community in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. This local effort was led by Karen Cooper, AARP Georgia, Associate State Director-Community Outreach.