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National Cherry Blossom Festival Schedule Of Events

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By Compiled From N... - March 15th, 2023
Cherry blossoms and the Jefferson Memorial/Jay Wald, 2014

Cherry blossoms and the Jefferson Memorial/Jay Wald, 2014 via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Special programs and services will be offered by the National Park Service during the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival, including the Cherry Blossom Festival Tidal Basin Welcome Area, the Bloomin’ Junior Ranger program, and cherry blossom-related ranger talks and education programs. National Park Service festival events will be held daily from Saturday, March 18, through Sunday, April 2. 

Visitor information during the festival will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area, located on West Basin Drive on the west side of the Tidal Basin, between the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Food, souvenir, book sales and the entertainment stage are also located in the same area, available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.   

Peak Bloom is officially predicted for March 22 - 25.

Schedule of Special Events 

Daily, March 18 – April 2 unless otherwise noted. 

Tidal Basin Welcome Area                                            10 a.m. – 6 p.m.   

Begin your visit to the National Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area, located on West Basin Drive on the west side of the Tidal Basin, between the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Information tents, performance stage, food and souvenir sales areas, and first aid station provide everything you need for a fun-filled visit.  

Stop by the National Park Service Activity Tent to become a Cherry Blossom Protector, earn a Bloomin’ Junior Ranger badge, and participate in activities related to conservation and responsible recreation.  

 

Cherry Blossom Ranger Talk – Jefferson Memorial             11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

Join a Park Ranger and learn more about the history and lore of the cherry blossoms. Programs meet on the plaza in front of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Rain or shine. 

 

Ranger-led Lantern Walks                                              Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. 

Bring your flashlight for a one-hour evening stroll beneath the blossoms; evening is one of the best times to beat the crowds and enjoy the beautiful serenity of the cherry trees! This 1.8- mile, guided walk around the Tidal Basin begins at 6:30 p.m. at the National Park Service Activity tent in the Tidal Basin Welcome Area on West Basin Drive. 

Pups ‘n Petals Dog Walk                                           Saturday, March 25 ONLY, 4 p.m. 

Bring your furry friend for a one-hour stroll among the cherry blossoms! Meet outside the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial bookstore at 4 p.m. Don’t forget your leash (required), waste bags and water.   

For the full schedule of National Park Service cherry blossom events, including the Anacostia River Festival to be held in Anacostia Park, as well as a history of the cherry blossoms, and the bloom watch countdown, go to www.nps.gov/cherry.   

For the full schedule of events sponsored by the National Cherry Blossom Festival, including the Blossom Kite Festival and National Cherry Blossom Festival parade, see www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.  

If You Go 

Due to extremely limited public parking, the National Park Service strongly recommends all visitors take Metro or bike to the festival.  The closest Metro stop to the festival and the Tidal Basin is the Smithsonian/National Mall station. The L’Enfant Plaza, Metro Center, and Federal Triangle Metro stations are also within walking distance.  

Nine Capital Bikeshare stations are available within the National Mall to provide another transportation option Scooters and e-bikes must be parked in one of 19 designated areas around the National Mall to avoid incurring the fine for parking on National Park Service property.  

D.C. Circulator service is also available around the Tidal Basin, via the National Mall route. Stops near the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms include the Holocaust Memorial Museum/Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. 

Handicapped parking is designated on West Basin Drive at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. 

From Saturday, March 18, through Sunday, April 2, Ohio Drive SW through West Potomac Park will be one way only (eastbound) between 23rd Street SW and Buckeye Drive SW. 

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