WHEN TO GO
Loading…
United StatesSaved
Invited taiko groups from across North America are slated for a free, family-friendly afternoon at Sylvan Theater on March 27, 2027. Sunday, March 28, is the rain date; its hours are not listed.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
Sakura Taiko Fest began in a Takoma Park dance studio. Its 2027 edition is scheduled for Sylvan Theater, on the grounds of the Washington Monument, continuing a festival history that has moved through several regional venues while keeping taiko and community at its center.
The first Sakura Taiko Fest took place at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park on April 14, 2013. That inaugural program included Nen Daiko, members of Kizuna and students from the Mark H Rooney Taiko School. The festival returned to Dance Exchange in 2014, then held editions at the University of Maryland, the Tidal Basin and Sylvan Theater.
The venue changes trace the festival’s growth from a small concert to a day of performances on the National Mall. The organizer calls 2027 its 13th year; its history also notes that the event returned in 2022 after a two-year COVID hiatus, so the count does not mean it ran every year.
Further reading: Sakura Taiko Fest: Event History - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗
The 2026 schedule mixed guest ensembles with activities from the Mark H Rooney Taiko School. Its Recreational Taiko Class included people with varied experience and worked on fundamentals, songs and kumidaiko—the practice of drumming together as a group. The intermediate Odaiko Styles Class focused on form, taiko vocabulary, stamina and body awareness. The bill also included participatory dances and music made by combined groups.
That edition featured, among others, aoi Taiko, a mother-daughter group based in Richmond; Gendo Taiko, a collegiate ensemble with members from Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design; and Nen Daiko, the ensemble of Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station. These are examples from 2026, not announced performers for 2027.
Further reading: Sakura Taiko Fest - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
The listed hours are noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 28, is the rain date, but the listing does not give hours for that day.
Admission is free. The October 13, 2026, deadline on the organizer’s taiko page was for groups applying to perform, not an audience ticket deadline.
Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
The event is at Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024. Sylvan Theater is on the Washington Monument grounds.
Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗ · Sylvan Theater - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
The festival’s general guide says most events are wheelchair-accessible and most offer accessible seating; check the event listing for any exceptions or event-specific arrangements. It says individual listings note when ASL interpretation is available. The Sakura Taiko Fest listing does not provide a separate sensory note.
Service animals are allowed at festival events. For an accommodation not already in place, the festival asks visitors to contact [email protected] at least two weeks ahead. For specific seating arrangements or other accessibility needs, contact [email protected] in advance.
Accessibility at the Cherry Blossom Festival – DC ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗
The destination is Sylvan Theater at Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, on the Washington Monument grounds. The organizer identifies Smithsonian as the closest Metro stop, served by the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, and recommends allowing extra time for activity around the Mall and Tidal Basin. Map links can calculate directions from your starting point.
Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗ · Sylvan Theater - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
Festival-wide guidance says parking in the District is limited, especially during National Cherry Blossom Festival season, and recommends alternative transportation. It does not give an event-specific parking location or rate.
Sunday, March 28, 2027. The listing does not state rain-date hours.
The listing says invited groups from across North America will perform, but does not name them or publish a running order. Names and schedule details on the organizer’s page are for 2026.
Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
Admission is free. The October 13, 2026, application deadline was for taiko groups seeking to perform, not for audience admission.
Sakura Taiko Fest - National Cherry Blossom Festival ↗ · Sakura Taiko Fest - Mark H Rooney Taiko ↗
For an accommodation not already in place, the festival asks visitors to contact [email protected] at least two weeks in advance. For specific seating arrangements or other accessibility needs, contact [email protected] ahead of time.
Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-11-01 against the linked sources.