Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C.
It’s not too late to see the world-famous cherry blossom season in Washington D.C. Every year visitors from around the world come to Washington to see the cherry trees in full bloom. The dates when the cherry blossoms reach their peak bloom depends on the weather and various year-to-year but the dates of the National Cherry Blossom Festival are set based on the average date of blooming, which is around April 4th. The Festival is an annual, city wide event that features over 200 cultural performances and nearly 100 special events.
The festival first started as a way to celebrate the 3,020 trees the people of Japan sent as a gift of friendship to the U.S in 1912. First Lady Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first two cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. These two original trees are still standing today near the John Paul Jones statue at the south end of 17th Street. The thousands of other trees in the area have been planted by the city since then.
The majority of Washington’s most famous cherry trees are around the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, in East Potomac Park (Hains Point), and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. However, if you want to avoid the crowds these beautiful trees can be found throughout the city.
According to the Washington Post, because of recent cold weather the peak bloom was late, around April 10th, so make sure to get to D.C before they’re gone!
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