The cherry blossom festival is a tradition in DC that has been going on since 1912. More than 1.5 million people come to visit the annual festival to admire over 3,000 trees.
How it started
Cherry blossom trees originally came from Japan. These beautiful trees were given as a gift to the United States by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki in 1912. They represented a close bond forged by the two countries. Ever since then, thousands of cherry blossoms have been shown off at this beautiful festival.
What is the Cherry Blossom Festival?
The Cherry Blossom Festival is an event held in Washington DC, where people can go to see cherry blossom trees. The peak bloom is when at least 70 percent of the cherry blossom trees have peaked. Most years, it is around the end of March to the beginning of April. What makes this festival different from most attractions in DC is that there is no tour guide. Instead, visitors get to walk freely around the beautiful flowers.
In a normal year, the cherry blossom festival is a popular way to start off the spring. There are cherry blossoms all over DC, but the official festival takes place on the Tidal Basin Loop Trail, which surrounds the Tidal Basin, and the Washington Monument. The Cherry Blossom Festival is a great attraction for all people. On most days that the festival takes place, it is packed. The trail isn’t very wide, so for everyone to fit, some people walk in the grass around it. Over 1.5 million people come to view these beautiful trees each year. The festival seems to be right in the middle of everything in DC, which is great for sightseeing. During the festival, many people walk off the trail to look at memorials, such as the Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, FDR Memorial, and George Mason Memorial. Cherry blossom trees surround the entire basin, creating a beautiful scene. This festival should be on everyone’s bucket list.
However, this year, COVID-19 global pandemic poses a threat to the long-standing tradition. With this restriction, citizens have also been asked to stay more than 6 feet apart from others in public. Luckily, there’s an alternative to visiting the National Cherry Blossom Festival in person this year. People can drive around DC close to the Tidal Basin, and try their best to view the trees from their cars, but because there is no driving path on the Tidal Basin Loop Trail, it becomes challenging to see the trees from a car. Days after the government’s request, there were still many people walking around the city, and on the Tidal Basin Trail. Since there is limited visibility from the car, the experience is quite underwhelming and short-lived. Despite it not being the best view of the trees, it’s safest to stay in the car. Some people see this as a perfect way to get out of the house due to social distancing restrictions, but it is still important to protect oneself. An alternative to leaving the house would be to visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s website, which is offering an online virtual festival experience*. This is another great way to see the trees while still staying safe.
It may not be the same as the festival during a normal year, but the trees are beautiful nonetheless.
Because the COVID-19 has caused many things to close down, viewing DC’s National Cherry Blossom Festival up close around others is no longer safe. However, even in quarantine, this is still a great experience and is fun for the whole family.
*To find the virtual tour on the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s website, click on “Learn More”, then scroll to find the video “Tidal Basin Tour” on the website linked above.
Article and Image by Kaylee A. Tasin from Cabin John Middle School