Here's When DC's Cherry Blossoms Will Peak This Spring

WASHINGTON, DC — Organizers of the 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., are forecasting peak bloom of the cherry trees between March 22 and March 25.

Peak bloom is defined as the day when 70 percent of the cherry blossoms are open.

Local residents and visitors will be allowed to enjoy the cherry blossoms in person after two years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic; last year, people were encouraged to enjoy the blossoms virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2022 National Cherry Blossom festival runs from March 20 to April 17.

Jeffrey Reinbold, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks for the National Park Service, announced the expected peak bloom with great fanfare as a woman dressed in pink was juggling balls next to him. Reinbold was joined by D.C. officials, a representative from the embassy of Japan and National Cherry Blossom Festival organizers at the news conference.

National Park Service employees will be monitoring bud development on the trees, as weather conditions could lead to a revision in the peak bloom forecast, Reinbold said.

In 2021, the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin reached their peak bloom on March 28, which was days ahead of schedule.

“The National Cherry Blossom Festival, like springtime and the cherry trees themselves, symbolizes hope, renewal, and new beginnings,” National Cherry Blossom Festival President and CEO Diana Mayhew said at Tuesday's news conference. “The trees, a gesture of goodwill from Tokyo to Washington, DC now, more than ever, serves as a reminder of the importance of unifying communities and sharing in the celebration of peace and international friendship.

Festival organizers encourage visitors to the Tidal Basin to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

For people unable to visit D.C. during the festival, they can watch the blooming of the trees virtually using the festival's Bloom Watch, which includes a BloomCam.

BloomCam, provided by EarthCam, provides a live feed of the Tidal Basin, allowing virtual viewing of the blossoming cherry trees in real time. BloomCam is positioned on the roof of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Southwest D.C.

Ryo Kuroishi, counselor for public affairs at the Embassy of Japan in D.C., noted that the 2022 festival marks the 110th anniversary of the gift of 3,000 cherry trees given to the city by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki in 1912.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s opening ceremony will take place at the Warner Theatre at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 20. Co-presented with The Japan Foundation, the celebration will include a tribute to the friendship between Japan and the U.S. The event will be co-hosted by WJLA-TV Meteorologist Veronica Johnson and actor and comedian Yoshi Amao.

Metro will be letting customers purchase commemorative fare cards for the 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival.

From March 20 to April 17, neighborhoods in the D.C. area can decorate their porches, yards and windows in spring decor as part of the festival's Petal Porches event. A digital map with the locations of all registered homes will also be made available, so the public can plan a walk or drive around the neighborhoods.

The festival is encouraging the public to engage with the community by posting pictures and videos of the Cherry Blossoms and events to their social media channels using the hashtag #RediscoverSpring. The festival will be posting content on its social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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