Festivalgoers crowd beneath cherry blossom trees at the Tidal Basin on March 28 in Washington, D.C. (Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)
Patriots take on the cherry blossom season in many ways
BY ALEXANDRA HENRIQUES, STAFF WRITER
On March 26, peak bloom for Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin began. While the trees only stay in peak bloom for anywhere from four days to a week, the Cherry Blossom Festival and cherry blossom sightseeing bring joy to the greater Washington area for over a month.
“It feels like a special tradition that marks the arrival of spring,” junior Communication major Sirong Chen said.
Taiko groups perform for the Cherry Blossom Festival on March 28 near the Washington Monument. (Nathan Ferraro / Fourth Estate)
From special exhibits and expositions at the Smithsonian museums, to street markets, parades and BloomFest at the Tidal Basin featuring live music and performances, there are many ways to enjoy the cherry blossom season.
The most popular viewing destination is the Tidal Basin, which features over 3,500 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.
Chen viewed the trees at the Tidal Basin, noting the beauty of the pink flowers and reflection on the water as some of the reasons the location is ideal for the season.
“My favorite part is how peaceful and dreamy everything feels … The whole atmosphere just feels really calming and beautiful,” she said.
Mason sophomore An Nguyen has experienced the peak bloom of the cherry blossoms multiple times since she arrived in the U.S. in early 2024. Nguyen also viewed the trees around the Tidal Basin this year and said that visiting the cherry blossoms at sunrise or sunset is especially beautiful.
“Just being able to see the cherry blossoms in bloom is my favorite part [of the season] … it feels really special to me,” Nguyen, an Art and Visual Technology major, said.
Junior Forensic Science major Anya Mathur chose to view the cherry blossoms in Vienna’s Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. She said that she partially chose the location due to its proximity, a mere 25-minute drive from campus, as well as a desire to avoid the crowds in popular viewing points in D.C.
This year was her second year viewing the cherry blossoms, though last year she experienced the festival at The Wharf on D.C.’s stretch of the Potomac River instead of the gardens.
“I think I preferred the botanical gardens because of how crowded it was in D.C.,” she said. “The botanical gardens were still busy, but not nearly as busy as The Wharf. The gardens also had much more greenery and it felt like a more natural environment than at The Wharf, so I thought it made for better pictures.”
There are still plenty of ways to celebrate the season, with Sakura Matsuri, a Japanese street festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Art Blooms at Mosaic, a local artist market with live performances and activities, all taking place this weekend.
