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The blooming of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. has come to symbolize the natural beauty of our nation's capital city. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the nation and around the world come to the Nations Capital to witness the spectacle, hoping that the trees will be at the peak of bloom for the Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, D.C.'s rite of spring.
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page here.
Check out our of the Cherry Trees here.
Check out Park Ranger Tour and Program information here.
Check out about where to park and our new free Shuttle Service for the Festival. Click HERE for a map of Shuttle Service pick up points.
The National Park Service is working in Partnership with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association () to provide FREE Bike Valet service during the Festival. Check out the link to the WABA site for times and locations. Go to the for information on Bike Programs throughout the year.
2008 Cherry Blossom Festival: March 29-April 13
2008 Peak Bloom Forecast: March 27-April 3
2008 Blooming Period Forecast: March 26-April 9
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of hundreds of events which occur within National Mall & Memorial Parks each year. Play a part in how you and future generations will experience and enjoy America's Treasures. Visit the website today.
The is scheduled for March 29-April 13. The festival's National Cherry Blossom Parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th Streets NW.
The famous trees, a gift from Japan in 1912, signal the coming of Spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the on the Tidal Basin in a sea of pale pink and white. Exactly when the buds will open is not an easy question to answer, but the National Park Service Regional Horticulturalist Robert DeFeo has been fairly accurate in his forecasts over the past several years.
Once the buds begin to expand in late February or early March, they can be monitored and the days counted before they can be expected to bloom. The forecast is based upon the weather forecast, and close inspection of the trees themselves to determine the stage of bud development.
The history of the cherry trees dates to 1912 when the original trees were planted by First Lady Mrs. William Howard Taft and the Vicountess Chinda of Japan.
Today more than 3,700 cherry trees of several varieties grow around the Tidal Basin, at East Potomac Park, and on the Grounds. Most trees are the Yoshino variety, Japan's favorite cultivated cherry tree that was developed about 1870 and presented as a gift in 1912. They encircle the Tidal Basin and can also be seen in abundance on the Monument grounds.
Since the National Park Service has been keeping records of the blooming dates, the earliest blooming date as been March 15, 1990, and the latest date was marked on April 18, 1958. The average blooming date--that time when the blooms are considered to reach their peak--is April 5 for the Yoshino and April 22 for the double flowering Kwansan trees, mostly seen in East Potomac Park.
For questions on volunteering with the National Park Service during the festival email the National Mall & Memorial Parks Volunteer Coordinator.
Click here for Media contact information.
Click on the following links to find out about the Cherry Tree Replacement Fund and the Tree and Shrub Replacement Fund.
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