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Not that most of you need a reminder...
ALSO: please, everyone REMEMBER TO BRING BLANKETS OR PICNIC SPREADS. We don't want our beautiful outfits to get dirty!!!
meetup

What? The Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival, a celebration of the ancient Japanese rite of spring (this will also double for a mini birthday celebration for the May birthday lolitas!)

Where? Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, 900 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225

When? Saturday, May 2, 2009. Noon-6 pm.

You are cordially invited to attend the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival! After a long, cold winter, it's time to celebrate new life, new beginnings, and most of all, spring! The festival has over 60 events and performances celebrating Japanese culture, including such amazing events as:

Taiko Drumming!
taiko

Ikebana Flower Arrangement!
ikebana

Tea ceremonies!
tea

And other lovely exhibits featuring traditional and contemporary Japanese music, DJs, and manga and anime. So all in all, it looks like a good time is to be had by everyone =)

Also, the meetup will serve as a sort of "May birthday" meetup for some of our lovely ladies who are going to be celebrating birthdays during this month! Since many of us don't have opportunities to get together before we leave college/go on vacation/have other commitments, it will serve as a nice mini-party for the birthday ladies! However, I don't want this to deter any new lolitas who also want to attend the event. Even if you haven't met any other lolitas and are nervous/shy, we want you to come anyway and join us!

Now, some additional info:

Directions? From the BBG's website:
By subway: Take 2 or 3 to Eastern Parkway—Brooklyn Museum station; Q to Prospect Park station; 4 to Franklin Avenue; S shuttle to Prospect Park station.
If you'll be coming by bus, LIRR, or car, check the website for additional information: http://www.bbg.org/vis2/directions.html. It costs extra to park in the parking lot.

Where are we meeting? We will be meeting at the Eastern Parkway Entrance at 12 pm sharp! I will be there a little early just to greet everyone. PRECISELY AT 12:30 pm, we will be heading over to the Cherry Esplanade, where the main events of the festival are going to take place. So if you're late, you can just meet us there. Here is a handy dandy map in case to show you all the important places!
map

Food? Technically, the Gardens have a no outside food policy. Picnicking is not really allowed, but it seems they have relaxed rules for Sakura Matsuri since so many people are going to be there. So if you decide to bring food, please be discreet about it! Meaning, don't run up to the entrance with ten thousand sandwiches in your hand =) There will be food on sale there as well if you'd like some Japanese food, and the regular garden cafe will also be open. Also, since we'll probably be sitting on the ground, please try to bring some old picnic spreads or curtains.

Money? Admission to the event costs $12 for an adult, $6 for students with valid IDs. And of course bring more money if you want to buy food or souvenirs there too. Use your own discretion.

Events? The event schedule has been posted on the BBG's website! Take a look at it here: http://www.bbg.org/exp/cherries/sakura.html.
I just want to add that this is not a tightly-structured meet; not all of us have to be together at the same place, at the same time! It's a festival, you can walk around and see whatcha want; the main meeting area is the Cherry Esplanade, so I'm thinking most of us will be sitting there for a bit.

And finally,
Dress code? Even though this is a lolita meetup, I know that many of you lovely ladies may opt to wear yukatas. Please go right ahead! We're all friends here so it will be awesome nonetheless. (I'll probably be in one XD)

If you're going to be coming, please let me know! If you'd like to have my cell number in case something comes up, just PM and I'll let you know. In case anyone is wondering why there are so many people already on the guest list, this was first posted in