Cherry blossoms at sunset. Photo by Lori Milani.

The city of Washington will celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival in its usual fashion, with lots of trees and tourists. They may also celebrate it with snow, which has been forecast for March 27.

The festival is Washington’s signature springtime event and is considered the beginning of tourist season. City officials hope the weather won’t be too bad, despite some predictions. Good weather always brings a sigh of relief to officials.

The first festival was held in 1935 to commemorate the gift of cherry trees to the United States from Japan. Initially, Tokyo gave Washington 3,000 trees in 1912, according to the festival’s official web site. Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson accepted 3,800 more trees in 1965.

The Festival begins on Saturday, March 26 with Family Day at the National Building Museum at 401 F Street, NW. The free public event runs from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with numerous activities to partake in, such as decorating miniature kites for the Blossom Kite Festival.

“The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day and opening ceremony is a wonderful opportunity for us to welcome visitors from D.C., and around the country,” said president and executive director of the National Building Museum, Chase Rynd, in 2009.

“Family Day captures the spirit of the Festival with free entertainment for kids of all ages and their families,” said Diana Mayhew, president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Among the most notable activities to be held during the two-week event is the annual parade Saturday, April 9 along Constitution Avenue. The parade Grand Marshal will be actor Atticus Shaffer, who plays youngest son Brick Heck on ABC’s program “The Middle.” Tickets for grandstand seating cost $17 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Standing along the parade route is free.

Photo by: Aleksandra Lagkueva

Following the parade, the Japan-America Society will host the annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival, featuring Japanese pop culture, traditional crafts, cuisine, martial arts and more.

A festival favorite, the annual fireworks display, will illuminate the waterfront Saturday, April 2 starting at 8:30 p.m. The ship, Spirit of Washington, will hold a buffet dinner cruise with a unique vantage point of the fireworks for those willing to pay the $99.90 fee, up from $90.90 last year and the previous year’s $75 price tag. Odyssey cruises will set you back $119.90. For more information, visit entertainmentcruises.com/city/Washington-DC/washingtondc-cherryblossom.

The fireworks may be best viewed from the Southwest Waterfront Promenade or East Potomac Park, which are accessible via the Waterfront-SEU metro stop on the Green Line.

Between paddle boats, photo safaris, bicycle tours, cruises and walks, the 1 million visitors expected at the 2011 National Cherry Blossom Festival will have many ways to see the District’s famed flowers.

For more information, visit NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org.

By: KJ Mushung

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