parallax background
Mammoth Lakes, CA – Backcountry Camping at Fern Lake
December 15, 2019
Coronavirus – Here’s what airlines are doing about it
March 10, 2020

Trees at the National Mall bloom with pink flowers during the Cherry Blossoms Festival

Updated 3/12/2020 @ 8:45am – Peak bloom dates has been updated and guidance for impact of COVID-19.

E ach spring, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the gift of cherry trees from Japan in 1912 and the arrival of the new season.

The Japanese cherry trees flower in beautiful bright pink bringing a different perspective to the usual sights of the United States Capital. The Festival is celebrated every March around the time that the trees are at peak bloom, or when 70% of the flowers have blossomed. It is celebrated with a parade, an annual run, and other various events where thousands of people come out to witness the beauty of the cherry blossoms. This year, peak bloom is estimated to be between March 27th and March 30th, 2020 March 21st and March 24th. This should be the best time to view the iconic cherry blossoms and should be matched with equally beautiful weather. The festival will run from March 20-April 12th 2020.

 

Cherry Blossoms along Tidal Basin

Close-up image of cherry blossoms

 

Even the President likes to check out the blossoms!

 

Marine One flies over Tidal Basin during the Cherry Blossom Festival

 

Where is the best place to view the cherry blossoms? 

The clear answer would be the around the area of Tidal Basin in at the National Mall. This will give you the opportunity to see monuments such as the Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials backdropped by the sprawling pink flowers. You can explore on foot, by bike or scooter, or by using the $1 DC Circulator bus that makes stops at major points of interest.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is always a great time in The District and a real treat to see. Just keep in mind that the trees only blossom in a tiny window once a year!

Impact of COVID-19

All events have been postponed or cancelled until March 31st. Organizers are “reimagining” events and guidance will be forthcoming for events slated for April. At this time (3/12/2020), the National Mall is still open to the public and you could still independently witness this year’s bloom.

Chris Fluitt
Chris Fluitt
I am an all around tech guy, a graphic designer and programmer, a car enthusiast, and a coffee and beer lover. When I'm not behind the keyboard I am probably exploring a national park.

2 Comments

  1. This looks beautiful, hope there are more images, but yeah now I know what to search for 😉

  2. Lil Mac says:

    Aren’t Cherry Blossoms just the most beautiful flowers? Even the name “Cheer-y Blossoms” sounds like happiness is blooming! It’s a shame that the even will be cancelled due to Covid but I hope to see it in the not-too-distant future! Otherwise maybe I’ll have to make that trip to Japan to see them in their natural habitat! Either way thanks for sharing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge