Photo Credit: Aziz Ahmed
Early Spring warming means early Cherry Blossoms bloom – just two weeks from now.
The National Park Service has confirmed the peak bloom at Washington Tidal Basin will be a lot earlier, from March 14 to 17, this year.
In fact, this year’s bloom is expected to be one of the earliest on record, according to the Park Service.
A Cherry Blossom branch against a full moon Friday (March 25, 2016) evening.
Photo: Zulfiqar Kazmi
The peak bloom – when 70 percent of flowers in full bloom – varies, depending on the cold or warmth of the weather.
The 2017 Cherry Blossom Festival will now run from March 15 through April 16, to time with the peak bloom of the flowers.
Some of the big events for the 90th annual festival will feature Tidal Basin Welcome Area, Pink Tie Party at the Ronald Reagan Building Opening Ceremonyat the Warner Theatre — Performers and Blossom Kite Festivalon the Washington Monument grounds.
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival will be on April 8 while Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival at the District Wharf will be on April 15.
The cherry blossom festival marks friendship between the United States and Japan, since 1912, when Japan gifted the trees.
“This National Cherry Blossom Festival is the biggest, greatest, most fun celebration of U.S.-Japan friendship anywhere in the world,” Japanese Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae said Wednesday, according to ABC News. “I don’t need to say, ‘Make this cherry blossom festival great again,’ because it’s already great.”
