A simple train ride away is all that keeps anyone in Ashburn from witnessing the picturesque blossoms in Washington DC. As the city begins to come to life, the pink and white flowers attract visitors from all over the world to walk beneath the trees, take photos, and celebrate the beauty of the coming spring season.
“What began with a gift in 1912 at the Tidal Basin now spans four weeks throughout Washington, DC, and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia” (National Cherry Blossom Festival). History has it, that the mayor of Tokyo gifted these cherry trees to the United States as a sign of friendship between the two countries. The First Lady at the time, Helen Taft and Viscountess Iwa Chinda, the wife of a Japanese ambassador, planted the first two out of the 3,000 sent right along the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. Today, the festival includes many special events including handpicked restaurants, art displays, and hotels that make you feel right at home.
Lily Jacobson, a former student of Briar Woods, described her experience at the festival last year: “I remember seeing the blossoms reflected in the water, and it was just so incredibly beautiful, I wish it could look like that all the time.”
Unfortunately, the festival only takes place between March 20 to April 13th this year, as that’s when the blossoms are at their peak time. That being said, it is definitely a unique experience to get to witness the flowers, despite the crowd that would be expected. “Since everyone wants to see the cherry blossom trees, D.C. is bound to get a lot of tourism and traffic,” notes NBC Washington.
Alina Dhar, a bakery owner in Washington D.C., foresees big opportunities for her bakery, just as she has seen in previous years. “A ton of people always come because of the blossoms, and our seasonal cherry pastries sell out every year! The energy is constantly growing every year, and I just love witnessing how the city celebrates the season. It’s honestly incredible.”
This kind of tourism is always good for all the businesses in the area, from driving services, to restaurants, and even the Cherry Blossom festival’s very own sponsor this year: Hilton. Some of Dhar’s must-see events include the Blossom Kite Festival and the Parade.
While March 20 to April 13 is considered the best time to see the blossoms, “peak bloom is when 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees along the Tidal Basin are flowering” (NBC).
This occurs specifically from March 28 to March 31. As a result, if you really want the ultimate viewing of the famous cherry blossoms this spring season, that’s the perfect time to do it.
This spring season, don’t miss out on the beauty of these magical flowers.
