Nothing heralds the arrival of spring quite like the Cherry Blossom Festival. This year’s festival kicks off on the First Day of Spring, March 20th! The Cherry Blossom Festival is always a big to-do and this year is no exception. There are tons of events that will keep you busy all spring. Here is a compilation of the ones we are most excited about!
Opening Ceremony
The Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off with a huge night full of local and international entertainment. From 5-6:30pm on March 23rd, you can be transported to another realm watching performances that tell the story of how the gift of the trees has become DC’s greatest springtime celebration. Tickets are free to this inspiring event, but you do need advanced registration. Click here to get more information!
A Cherry Blossom Scavenger Hunt
We love a challenge, so we were so excited that The International Spy Museum has a free scavenger hunt! This ties in the beauty of the Cherry Blossoms, while going on a great interactive scavenger hunt around the area! Download the free SCVNGR challenge app for your iPhone or Android! Complete the challenge and you may even get a great Spy Offer! For more information go here, or to www.spymuseum.org
Cherry Blossom Tours
There are a plethora of Cherry Blossom tours. You can see them at sunrise, while taking a photography class, by boat, bike, and even a self-guided walking tour in some of the gardens in surrounding towns. All of these options range in price and they are fantastic ways to see the blossoms. If you are interested in honing your photography skill, any of the classes are great! The professional instructors give great insider advice on the best angles and spots! The bike and walking tours are a great way to celebrate the warmer weather and the coming of spring. These tours typically start around the 20th of March. Cruising up and down the Potomac is a wonderful way to see the sights and monuments, while enjoying the beauty of the cherry blossoms. You can have dinner and lunch or even a romantic moonlight cruise. If you are looking for something different or even a little romantic, why not go paddle-boating on the tidal basin. You can get a wonderful view of the blossoms and see the iconic Jefferson Memorial. This will be a one of a kind view and can be a totally different experience if you have never done this before. For a boat to seat 2, it is only $12 an hour. You can walk up or reserve online here!
Official Food Tour
For any Foodies out there, the Official Cherry Blossom Food Tour is a stellar combination of DC’s culture, history and architecture with local flavors inspired by cherries and the area’s Japanese influence. Join your guide on a walking tour that incorporates historic and cultural sites, with visits to restaurants to enjoy dishes inspired by the Cherry Blossoms. You can meet the chefs and the owners and learn how their story came to be and the history of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The tours run daily, 11 AM -3:30 PM, and costs $49 per person.
For The Kids
If you are going to be celebrating with kids, the Fly a Kite! Kids Workshop is a unique experience that your little ones will be talking about for a long time. From 10 AM till Noon, on March 23rd, come make a kite at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The cost is $16 for museum members, and this includes materials for 1 kite. You have to buy tickets early. After you build your kite, you can then fly it at the Blossom Kite Festival on March 30th in the National Mall! There is also Family Day at the National Building Museum. There are hands on activities, interactive art demonstrations, and many indoor and outdoor performances that celebrate spring and explore Japanese art and design.
Cherry Blast
On March 29th, the 5th annual Cherry Blast: Art and Music Dance Party will be taking place on 500 Penn St, NE. This sell-out event is popping up in a new location, and promises to be a blast for people who expect the unexpected. Tickets are only $10 per person and will be sold online beforehand. This one of a kind event will be a night to remember!
The Sakura Matsuri
The Sakura Matsuri—Japanese Street Festival is the largest Japanese cultural festival in the United States. This huge event takes place in Downtown DC and features food, arts and culture, merchandise, and live traditional and J-Pop performances on four stages, and martial arts demonstrations. This festival is from 10:30 am – 6pm on April 13th.
There are so many other events, dates, parties, and lectures celebrating the National Cherry Blossom Festival. They are all able to be found on www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
