This festival has been held every February since 2001. The festival includes a series of events centered on the hundreds of mountain cherry trees which line Sun Moon Lake and the over 2,000 cherry trees in the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village.

The festival has ignited interest in Taiwan, following the Asian tradition of enjoying cherry blossoms in full bloom, and is the largest such festival in central Taiwan.

The Cherry Blossom Festival activities, which are becoming increasingly large-scale by the year, attract tourists from all over Taiwan. They come to view the cherry blossoms and take part in the lively celebrations. In recent years, the sponsored activities have attracted close to 50,000 people. Poets, artists, dancers, and musicians are frequently invited to come, representing the culture and innovation of Sun Moon Lake's Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village. Every year, as part of this festival, an “Evening Cherry Blossom Activity” is sponsored. During this event, a lamplight is placed on each of the cherry trees, creating the romantic and poetic appearance of a colorful cherry blossom veranda. The Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village's large-scale evening cherry blossom festivities have already become one of Taiwan's most popular cultural activities.