Shake off those winter blues and make plans to welcome spring in with a big hoorah this year in Washington DC. Washington DC is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the spring months, a time when thousands of cherry trees across the city are in full bloom and dress up the city with their fragrant and delicately colored, pink hued blossoms.
The festival's roots date back almost one hundred years, to 1912 when Japan gave the city of Washington DC 3,000 cherry trees as a gift. The city marks this occasion with a two week celebration that boasts city wide celebrations, including over 150 cultural events and 90 other festivals, arts and crafts shows, sporting events, and more. With so much to see and do in the area at this time, it is not a surprise to learn that the city welcomes in over 700,000 visitors to the area during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival for 2010 runs from Saturday March 27 through Sunday April 11.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival 2010 kicks off with an official opening ceremony at the National Building Museum on F Street from 10am to 5:30pm. This is a full family festival with music, Japanese art displays, Japanese and Western performing arts shows, hands-on fun, and more. On Saturday, April 10, 2010, make plans to attend one of the festival's most popular events, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. The parade marches from Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets NW between 10am and noon, and boasts marching bands, floats, balloons, and other live entertainment acts. Afterward, head over to the 50th Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival for the nation's largest Japanese street festival. This event runs from 11am to 6pm on April 10, and spans six city blocks encompassed by Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, as well as 10th and 14th Streets.
There are numerous other notable events that take place throughout the city on every day of the festival. The Smithsonian Kite Festival is held on the grounds of the Washington Monument, and features hands-on kite making, kite flying, and kite demonstrations. You can also make plans to enjoy the Kimono Exhibition, the Japanese Anime Marathon, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Fireworks Show, the Charity Golf Tournament, and dozens of other fun events that run during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
There is no place quite like Washington DC in the springtime, and no better time to visit Washington DC than during the National Cherry Blossom Festival!
