Cherry Blossom Festival Peak Bloom 2017: Here Are The Dates

WASHINGTON, DC — It's officially March: Organizers of the National Cherry Blossom Festival have just released their peak bloom dates for this year's blossoms, and not surprisingly, they're going to be coming in early thanks to the ridiculously warm weather we've had lately.

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Festival organizers have pegged March 14 to 17 as the peak bloom dates, which is defined as when 70 percent or more of the cherry blossoms are open. Last year, we didn't hit peak bloom until March 25, and even that was pretty early. In 2015, 2014 and 2013, the peak bloom happened closer to mid-April.

If the peak bloom dates are correct, it would be the earliest we've reached that point in the 14 years that are listed on the National Park Service's website. We came close in 2012, when the peak bloom happened March 20.

The festival is held every year in D.C. to commemorate Japan's gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the District in 1912. The festival attracts about 1.5 million people to D.C. each year, making it one of the biggest tourism draws for the nation's capital.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival website has more information about the event.

Image via U.S. Department of Agriculture