Bossa-Saurus and Katalysst join a lineup of diverse artists for the 2025 Davis Cherry Blossom Festival
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
The annual Davis Cherry Blossom Festival returned to Sudwerk Brewing Co. from May 3 to 4. This marks the festival’s 10th annual year hosting a lineup of local talent, cultural performances and a continued focus on community-driven activism.
Founded by former UC Davis student and taiko performer Gregory Wada, the Cherry Blossom Festival began from his desire to create a space that celebrates Asian American identity through art and activism.
Wada explained how the idea for the creation of the festival emerged from conversations about Asian American identity and the need for a space to share those experiences through art.
“The festival sort of grew out of conversations we had about our Asian American identities and the complexities of those experiences that aren’t always captured in celebrations of multiculturalism that focus on nationality,” Wada said. “We wanted to have our own festival to tell our story, as well as have a place for others like us to do the same. I think that feeling of being able to use an event and art to say something about identity resonated with people.”
The festival has since evolved into a full weekend of live music, art installations, food vendors, workshops and fundraising. Proceeds from the event benefit non-profit organizations dedicated to social and environmental justice, selected annually by the festival team. Past beneficiaries have included the Asian Law Caucus, Earthjustice and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.
Wada explained how the 2025 celebration is unique from prior years and the new aspects of the festival that attendees could look forward to.
“This year we have a number of new events, including a kamishibai storytelling where you can learn about the history of taiko, a community jam session where you can play taiko with us and a short course on taiko hosted by the students of Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan at UC Davis,” Wada said. “We’ll also have community art pieces where you can hang your wishes on a tree.”
The event featured many bands, performers and more. Among this year’s featured performers is Bossa-Saurus, a jazz and R&B band formed by UC Davis students and alumni. Guitarist Nathan Sangria and vocalist and violinist Daphne Lee first began playing together at local open mic nights in 2022, eventually forming a full band with fellow students Bella Vasquez, Alia Tu, Mike Eckes and Zack Wilhite.
Bossa-Saurus explained their excitement for the upcoming festival and what they are looking forward to seeing.
“Although this is our first time performing at the Cherry Blossom Festival, many of us have attended in prior years,” Bossa-Saurus said. “We have very fond memories seeing different bands, artists and taiko groups perform, and we still cherish the souvenirs and crafts we got at the artists’ booths. This year, we’re especially looking forward to seeing the taiko performances and the Video Game Orchestra.”
Bossa-Sauras also described the significance of being a local performer at the festival.
“We know many different groups, organizations and volunteers put hundreds of hours into planning and outreach to make the Cherry Blossom Festival happen each year,” Bossa-Sauras said. “As a Davis-based band, we’re honored to have the opportunity to play at such an enriching event and spread our love for modern and classic jazz and R&B.”
Also making their Cherry Blossom Festival debut is Katalysst, a folk-rock duo consisting of Alyssa Sanders and Kat Austin, who first met at the Whole Earth Festival in 2019. The band blends lyrical introspection with classical and folk influences, drawing inspiration from artists like Leonard Cohen, Modest Mouse and Fleetwood Mac. Sanders described how they met and the origins of their band.
“My band had come up from Los Angeles to perform, so it was kind of like the stars aligned for us to have a chance meeting,” Sanders said. “We ended up spending the evening together and started dating shortly after. It wasn’t until a year later that we started writing music together. I remember I called Kat one day and told her to sit down, because I had come up with the perfect band name. Thus Katalysst was born.”
Sanders also described the duo’s excitement to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival for the first time.
“We haven’t played at the Cherry Blossom Festival before, but we’ve attended in the past,” Sanders said. “Kat has been going for years since she went to college in Davis and has always loved it. We are very excited for all of the musical acts; there’s so many.”
Katalysst shared that while their long-term goal is to make a living through music, their current focus is to write songs that connect with people.
“We will always strive to write a perfect song that captures a feeling or a moment,” Sanders said. “And if we ever do, then there will be a million more perfect songs to chase.”
The Cherry Blossom Festival is organized entirely by volunteers, many of whom are students or recent graduates. Wada emphasized the importance of community organizing in the planning process.
“The organizers are students and young working professionals, and all the time needed to put on the event can be challenging, but I’m so impressed by the spirit of this team,” Wada said. “For us, this really is about community organizing and building the kind of world we want to live in — one that celebrates diversity and embraces curiosity and compassion.”
Wada hopes that the festival will continue to grow as a platform for local artists and a space for cultural expression, collaboration and solidarity.
“One of my favorite aspects of the festival is when I hear how it’s changed an artist’s journey or helped them discover something about themselves or their political consciousness,” Wada said. “I love the many collaborations and new relationships that have sprung from this work.”
Written by: Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org
