Hello, cherry blossom season—we’ve been waiting for you. One of the rosiest parts of the year is back in the NoVA and DC region with the arrival of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, officially being held from March 20 to April 14.
Cherry blossom blooms will come and go quickly, so don’t miss your chance to celebrate the pink flowers while they are here. Here’s your guide to everything cherry blossoms, from what to do to what to sip and where to dine.
What to do
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Clearly, the first thing on the list should be—and is—the National Cherry Blossom Festival itself. The festival is almost a month long, and there are plenty of events to choose from to attend. Here are the ones we recommend not missing:
- Pink Tie Party presented by Ana: The kick-off party officially marks the beginning of blossom season. Dress in your best pink fashion and enjoy bites, cocktails, an open bar, music, dancing and a silent auction. // March 22, 2-11 p.m.; Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC; $225
- Blossom Kite Festival: Grab a kite and head to the National Mall where hundreds will gather to fill the sky with colorful flights. Held on the grounds of the Washington Monument, there will be a variety of competitions and demonstrations, as well as awards. // March 30, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Washington Monument: Near 17th and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC; Free
- Blossom Bash: The second annual Blossom Bash concert will host Meaghan Trainor, with opening act Jake Miller. // April 5, 7:30 p.m.; The Anthem: 901 Wharf St. SW, Washington, DC; $55-$95
- National Cherry Blossom Festival Petalpalooza: Petalpalooza will feature live music on multiple outdoor stages, a beer garden, family-friendly activities, product giveaway and a fireworks show. // April 6, Noon-9:30 p.m. (fireworks at 8:30); The Wharf: 735 Water St. SW, Washington, DC; Free
- National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: Set against DC’s iconic landmarks along Constitution Avenue, the parade features colorful, giant balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, music and more. // April 13, 10 a.m.-noon; Constitution Avenue: From 7th to 17th St. NW, Washington, DC; $20 grandstand seating, Free between 9th and 15th St. NW, Washington, DC
Seeing the blossoms
Update: NPS announced on March 26, that its peak bloom prediction has changed to April 1.
The National Park Service announced its prediction for peak bloom dates is April 3 to 6. The best places to see the blossom are the National Mall, the Washington Monument grounds, West and East Potomac parks, the National Arboretum, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and Stanton Park.
Ikebana Floral Design Workshop
Learn ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangements, at this floral design workshop. Guests will learn about the rich symbolism and the fundamentals of the art, and will also take home their own arrangements. // April 6, 10-11:30 a.m.; Green Spring Gardens: 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria; $64
Cherry STEM Day
This family-friendly event is being hosted at the Lab at Children’s Science Center Lab inside Fair Oaks Mall. Kids will explore flower pigmentation with experiments that involved rubbing flower petals into a coffee filter, demonstrating the different pigmentation patterns for different flowers. // April 6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Children’s Science Center: 11948 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax; $13
Art Blooms at Mosaic
This inaugural cherry blossom event at Mosaic District is being held in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and will bring an immersive art event to the area. There will be a craft fair, a Caboose Brewing Co. beer garden, interactive art classes and live music, as well as cherry tree planting. // April 7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Strawberry Park: 2910 District Ave., Fairfax; Free
Alexandria Tastes of Spring Cherry Blossom Food Crawl
Mix the “what to do” and “what to eat” categories on your itinerary with the Alexandria Tastes of Spring Cherry Blossom Food Crawl. Tasting tickets are valid at the 10 participating restaurants and guests can eat and drink samples from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 7. // Starting location provided at time of ticket purchase; $80-$96
What to eat and drink
Cherry Blossom Pub & Publin
The seasonal pop-up bar has returned to DC at 1843 Seventh Street NW. Created by Drink Company, the bar celebrates the Cherry Blossom Festival with a full ramen menu and an experimental cocktail list, including Toki Highball, Toki Whisky, Perrier, Grapefruit-Elderflower Tincture and Nyango Star Sour. // Cherry Blossom Pub & Publin: 1843 Seventh St. NW, Washington, DC; No cover charge
Old Ox Brewery
The official beer of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, FestivALE was created by Old Ox Brewery. The beer is available at the brewery and at more than 190 DC-area liquor and grocery stores, as well as select restaurants in 16-ounce cans. A portion of the sales benefit The National Cherry Blossom Festival. // Old Ox Brewery: 44652 Guilford Drive, Suite 114, Ashburn
Ambar Capitol Hill
The Balkan restaurant will be pouring a special cocktail to celebrate the blossoms. For $12, the Visnja Sour is created with cherry-infused rakia, lime juice, simple syrup infused with cherries and a spritz of absinthe, garnished with a cherry. // Ambar Capitol Hill: 523 Eighth St. SE, Washington, DC
Ambar Clarendon
Sister restaurant Ambar Clarnedon, located in Arlington, is serving the April in Belgrade cocktail for $13. It’s made from a combination of cherry-infused plum rakia, Serbian cherry liquor, bourbon and angostura bitters, garnished with brandied cherries. // 2901 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Red’s Table
The Reston restaurant is offering three cherry blossom-inspired dishes: a cherry salad with arugula, goat cheese, candied pecan and fennel, tossed in a cherry vinaigrette ($17); a seared pork chop with cherry mostarda, roasted fingerling and braised kale ($26); and a cherry tart with vanilla ice cream ($8). // 11150 S. Lakes Drive, Reston
Dolci Gelati
Bringing back its popular Cherry Blossom gelato for the festival, Dolci Gelati is offering the flavor from March 20 to April 14 in limited supply. // Dolci Gelati: 107 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria
How to get there
For transportation needs, Alexandria is offering multiple ways to get to all your cherry blossom plans. Potomac Riverboat Company offers a 25-minute direct water taxi from Old Town to The Wharf development, Pedego Electric Bikes is offering two- to three-hour guided tours from Old Town to the cherry blossoms and Washington’s Monuments Cruise is a 90-minute round trip boat ride, showcasing iconic monuments, memorials and bridges.
For more information on the festival, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.