Each March, Macon becomes a pink, cotton-spun paradise as over 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all their glory. Festival-lovers are treated to one of the most extravagant displays of springtime color in the nation as they visit the town referred to by Congressional Records as the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World.

Originally a sleepy southern town, Macon has now become a bustling center of beauty and international friendship. The Festival’s roots began with a man who possessed a deep appreciation for beauty and a passion for horticulture. The man in question was none other than the late William A. Fickling Sr., a local realtor, who discovered the first Yoshino cherry tree in Macon while strolling about in his backyard. The year was 1949, and at the time of his discovery, he was unaware that the tree was a Yoshino species, rare to the South. Awed by the tree’s unique beauty, he began inquiring around town as to what species of tree it was. But, no one knew, ­not even his own gardener!