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This Is When the Cherry Blossoms Will Hit Peak Bloom in DC This Year

News National Parks Insider Guides
by Eben Diskin Mar 24, 2021

For a very brief window of time this spring, Washington, DC, will turn a lovely shade of pink thanks to its majestic cherry blossoms.

According to a forecast from the National Park Service, the National Mall and Memorial Parks’ thousands of Yoshino cherry trees will likely hit peak bloom between April 2 and 5, 2021. Peak bloom in DC generally occurs between the last week of March and the first week of April. “Peak bloom” is defined as the day when 70 percent of the blossoms are open.

Yoshino trees usually bloom for several days, though the length of the bloom depends upon the weather conditions. Cool, calm weather is more conducive to a lengthy bloom, while rain and wind don’t do the cherry blossoms any favors and late frost is simply disastrous.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions canceling many live events around the country, DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival is still on this year. The festival runs from March 20 to April 11, 2021, and will be full of virtual and in-person events honoring American and Japanese culture. Apart from actually viewing the cherry blossoms, in-person events include porch parades, kite flying workshops, and art shows. Note that during the peak bloom period, vehicle and pedestrian access to the Tidal Basin, East Potomac Park, and West Potomac Park, will be limited as a public health precaution to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

If you can’t make the event in person, you can join virtually and check out the cherry blossoms via the BloomCam, or attend one of the virtual shows and entertainment experiences.

A version of this article was previously published on March 8, 2019, and was updated on March 24, 2021, with more information.

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