The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is usually the perfect destination to seek solitude and quiet while communing with nature, but during the Cherry Blossom Festival held each spring, the grounds are transformed. The crowd and sounds are impressive with good reason. Although this year the date did not correspond with the esplanade in full bloom there were still enough trees and tulips and events to warrant the visitors’ awe.

Amongst many scheduled activities, including traditional Japanese arts, games and music, there was the Sakura Matsuri Cosplay Fashion Show. I noted that numerous visitors, seemingly all in their twenties, wore an array of elaborate hairdos, make-up and attire. Large animal-like ears, wigs, parasols, swords, wispy gowns, contact lens of unusual hues, garments befitting action heroes, geishas, aliens, and nymphs were donned. Assuming there was a theme or characters unknown to me, I asked a woman wearing some aspects of the above mentioned what her costume was. She replied that she was not wearing a costume. This was how she dressed every day. Was that true for everyone strolling the grounds? I can’t say.