The famous Washington DC cherry blossoms are about to start blooming! This years peak bloom is projected to be around March 23, 2024, which happens to coincide with the opening ceremony of the National Cherry Blossom Festival! These beautiful trees around the Tidal Basin area are an iconic symbol of spring.
This year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will run from March 20 – April 14, 2024. There will be performances, foods, and activities for all ages, culminating with the Cherry Blossom Parade on April 13th. Another key event is Petalpalooza on April 6th, a family friendly day of performances and activities capped off with fireworks over the Capital Riverfront.
- Opening Ceremony: Saturday, March 23, 2024
- Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival: Sunday, March 24, 2024
- Kite Festival: Sunday, March 30, 2024
- PetalPalooza: Saturday, April 6, 2024
- Parade: Saturday, April 13, 2024
The entire festival season season has been known to draw millions of people to the city in past years, and peak bloom week and the parade weekend are especially busy, so plan your trip accordingly if you plan to go.
Here are some resources to help plan your trip:
- National Cherry Blossom Festival official site: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/
- Cherry Festival events: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/all-events/
- Cherry Festival partner hotels:
https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/hotels/ - Cherry Blossom maps: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/maps.htm
- Touring the cherry blossoms (info on many topics): https://freetoursbyfoot.com/cherry-blossom-festival-guide/
- Cherry blossom visitors guide (info on many topics):
https://cherryblossomwatch.com/visitor-information/ - Washington DC information:
https://washington.org/ - NPS National Mall & Memorials:
https://www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm - NPS Jefferson Memorial (along the Tidal Basin):
https://www.nps.gov/thje/index.htm - Transportation around DC: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/directions.htm
If you can’t travel to Washington DC, there are several virtual ways for you to join in the fun.
- #Bloomcam – a 24/7, live, real-time view of the cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin: https://www.bloomcam.org/
- Opening Ceremony Livestream:
https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/opening-ceremony/ - Events that have a virtual option:
https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/all-events/virtual-option-available/all/ - Events that are virtual:
https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/all-events/virtual/all/ - National Park Service virtual activities: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/go-virtual.htm
We’ve been to DC area and the Smithsonian museums many times. We love it there. If you go during this festival, definitely pack your patience because it will be extremely crowded, but the blooms will be worth it!
Of course, there are many other places with great cherry blossom celebrations too. Here are just a few ideas, but you can simply search for cherry blossoms near your city to find more.
- Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in the U.S. – National Geographic
- 30 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in the U.S. – Country Living
If you would like to chat about planning a trip to Washington DC or any other city for the festival or in general, please contact me.
Adventures By Anne 