When will we be there?
The Big Picnic at David Lam Park
Saturday, March 28, 2026
10 am – 4:30 pm
Why is GTEC at the Cherry Blossom Festival
GTEC is for people like you who care about our city and our environment. People who know the natural beauty of our cherry trees in blossom.
Last year during the long drought, twelve new cherry trees in David Lam Park died due to lack of water. Once upon a time, Vancouver was a rain forest. We had a lot of rain and we were very green.
So, what can we do?
GTEC will be participating in The Big Picnic to promote the Climate Response Centre. The Centre will be a place for people to meet and coordinate efforts together to deal with the reality of the climate crisis.
In September 2026, a pop-up version of the Climate Response Centre will open in the new Arbutus Neighbourhood House. The opening will feature an exhibition, “Neighbourhood in the 21st Century” that will show many of the solutions that can happen when people come together to support new ideas.
GTEC is proud to partner with the Fraser Academy, its teachers and students in the production of this exhibit. Banners, placards and a huge mural will be part of the experience, plus many interactive activities for visitors.
About the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is the city’s signature springtime event and the annual celebration of cherry blossoms inspired by the age-old Japanese cultural tradition of hanami (flower viewing).
Our mantra, “there is no stranger under the cherry tree,” welcomes inclusion, participation and celebration of all community groups. Through our community-building events, we want to make the arts accessible and representative of all people across all backgrounds. For the few weeks the cherry blossoms are in bloom, we strive to be united as one community where our shared connection to nature means we are all connected.
GTEC has partnered with Arbutus Neighbourhood House to open a pop-up Climate Response Centre, featuring the Neighbourhood in the 21st Century exhibit. The exhibit is an arts and culture informed presentation of ideas and practical steps we can all take so our neighbourhoods are climate change ready in the future.
If you would like to support our efforts to inform, support and activate communities in responding to the climate crisis, please visit our CanadaHelps page!