National Cherry Blossom Festival

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Washington, D.C. Tidal Basin showing cherry trees in flower

See International Cherry Blossom Festival for an unrelated event in Macon, Georgia.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift to the city of 3,000 Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two peoples.

The famous trees signal the coming of spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the Tidal Basin portion of the West Potomac Park in a sea of pale pink and white. The two-week festival is kicked off with an opening ceremony, followed by a dizzying array of activities and cultural events. Every day there is a sushi/sake celebration, classes about cherry blossoms, and a bike tour of the Tidal Basin. Art exhibits figure heavily during this time, such as photography (both local and Asian), sculpture, animation, and various cultural performances throughout Washington, D.C. Rakugo, kimono fashion shows, art exhibits, dance, singing, martial arts, merchant-sponsored events, and much more can be seen during this time.

The Jefferson Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival

The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run is held as part of the festival on the first Sunday in April. Because the festival must be planned long in advance, it sometimes fails to be celebrated during the peak of the cherry blooms. On the last day of the festival, there is the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, organized by Downtown Jaycees for more than 30 years, and followed by the Sakura Matsuri-Japanese Street Festival, a celebration of Japan presented by the Japan-America Society of Washington, D.C.

The festival was first held in 1935. In 1994, the festival was expanded to its current two-week format. The festival is orchestrated by the National Cherry Blossom Festival Inc., a non-profit umbrella for businesses, civic, and governmental organizations.