Gwen Battad Ishikawa
As far as the general public is concerned, the Cherry Blossom Festival begins when the queen contestants are introduced at the ‘Ohana Festival — and ends when the new queen is crowned at the Festival Ball.
What most people don’t know about are the months of preparation that take place before the January introduction — all of it behind the scenes, including numerous cultural and self-development enrichment classes, rehearsals and other events.
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