Alex Cameron: D.C.'s 'Cherry Blossom' Festival Brings In Tourists From Around The World

One of the biggest tourist attractions in Washington that is NOT a museum or not tied to the federal government is the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It happens every year around this time and brings in people from across the country and around the world to see for themselves the magnificent splendor of thousands of cherry trees and their fragrant pink blossoms. The trees can be found all throughout the District of Columbia, but the ones that get the most attention are those that encircle the Tidal Basin, which sits snugly between the Potomac River and the National Mall.

Perhaps you have heard the story, but the trees were a gift – a show of goodwill -- from the Japanese government and the city of Tokyo in 1912. The Japanese actually made an initial gift of 2,000 trees in 1910, but those were found to be diseased and the difficult decision was made to burn them. The Japanese were not put off, though, and shipped 3,000 more trees two years later.

On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin, about 125 feet south of what is now Independence Avenue, SW. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the First Lady presented a bouquet of "American Beauty" roses to Viscountess Chinda.

Over the next several years, workers planted about 1,800 more Yoshina trees, along with eleven other varieties of cherry tree, around the basin.

112 years after what could be considered the original cherry blossom festival, this year’s festival began on Wednesday, March 20 and lasted through the weekend. There is a parade, kite-flying, live music, art, a pink tie party, and more. But, of course, the main attraction is the beauty of the trees themselves.

And, hopefully, festival attendees won’t have missed out.

A couple of weeks ago, the National Park Service predicted ‘peak bloom’ would happen between March 23 and March 26, but Mother Nature always has the last word, and unpredictably warm weather interfered a bit.

Peak bloom is declared to have occurred when 70 percent of the blossoms on the Yoshino Cherry trees are in full bloom. This year that occurred on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, and ties for the second earliest peak bloom in history. (The earliest bloom on record was March 15, 1990.) Generally, peak bloom happens between the last week of March and the first week of April. Scientists say warming global temperatures are associated with Climate Change; however, mean peak bloom will likely continue to trend earlier.

Peak ‘viewing’ will last as long as the blossoms stay on the trees, which could be up to two weeks. That will depend, to some degree, on the weather in the DC metro and when we get our next heavy rain or strong winds. Fingers crossed all will remain calm for the next week or so.

In the meantime, enjoy these photos, and make plans to come in 2025!