National Cherry Blossom Festival: Extra Penn Line Cars, Schedule Of Events

BALTIMORE, MD — While the late winter snow killed about half of the famous cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., last week, the remaining blooms should hit their peak starting this weekend, just in time for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which kicks off Saturday, March 25, and runs through April 15. Transportation officials have added extra MARC cars to help Maryland residents make the trek into DC to enjoy the beautiful blooms and the weekends of the festival.

The National Park Service says that 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry blossoms that survived the cold snap reached the puffy white stage on Wednesday. "The bloom period starts several days before the peak bloom date and can last as long as 14 days, however, deep frost or high temperatures combined with wind or rain can shorten this period."

Temperatures expected to soar into the 70s on Saturday should create a gorgeous peak bloom this weekend on the Tidal Basin, which is already bathed in white, and that should shift to a beautiful pink soon.

MARC Adds Cars to Penn Line Trains

The Maryland Transit Administration urges Baltimore-area residents planning a visit to the festival to avoid the traffic and parking hassles and use MARC Train’s Penn Line. To manage the crowds, additional rail cars will be added to Penn Line service starting this weekend. All weekend MARC trains will continue to operate with the bike car, which can hold 28 full-sized bicycles.

Penn Line weekend service offers nine round-trips between Baltimore’s Penn Station and Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Saturdays and six round-trips on Sundays for the same $8 one-way fare offered on weekdays – with monthly and 7-day weekly passes honored.

MARC customers should buy their tickets before boarding to avoid a $5 surcharge for on-train ticket purchases. And customers should arrive at the station early to purchase tickets and board the train before its scheduled departure.

The Penn Line serves Martin State Airport, Baltimore’s Penn Station, West Baltimore, Halethorpe, BWI, Odenton, Bowie, New Carrollton and Washington, D.C.’s Union Station. The complete schedule is available online at https://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train.

Opening Ceremony Performers

The Warner Theatre in downtown D.C. will host "traditional and contemporary performances" in honor of the festival on Saturday. Opening Ceremony performances include Shigeyama Kyogen, a spoken drama from Japan; EL Squad, a blend of contemporary dance and music; and May J, a famous J-pop artist in Japan.

The event will take place from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. It is free to enter, but advance ticketing is required and there is a $5 registration fee when tickets are claimed.

Opening Ceremony performers include:
Shigeyama Kyogen embodies some of the best traits of traditional Japanese performing culture. Kyogen is a world-renowned form of traditional Japanese theater. Kyogen is a kind of spoken drama that is based upon laughter and comedy.

EL Squad from Wrecking Crew Orchestra revolutionized the contemporary dance genre with their signature “Light Dance,” a mesmerizing blend of dance, music, and electroluminescent technology. Audiences are amazed at the dazzling effects achieved through intricate, fast-paced choreography without the help of CGI.

May J, a multilingual J-pop artist, has been one of the most celebrated female singers in Japan since her debut in July 2006. She has hosted the music program “J-MELO” for eight years; it is the only Japanese music show in English that introduces the current J-pop music scene on Japan’s national public broadcasting organization. She is perhaps best known for singing the end roll version of the title song “Let It Go” in the Japanese release of Disney’s animated movie “Frozen.”

The 6821 Quintet was created by The Ryuji Ueno Foundation as part of the Potomac Music-Lab Project for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The 2017 group consists of Mayu Kishima (1st Violin), Eric Silberger (2nd Violin), Meng Wang (Viola), Clancy Newman (Cello) and Mamiko Hirai (Composer/Pianist), and will be performing the world-premiere of a commissioned piece written by Hirai.

Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of “stepping.” It now ranks as one of the top ten African-American dance companies in the United States. Performances integrate songs, storytelling, humor, and audience participation. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement, and and cross-cultural understanding.

Visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival's website for more information on the event and how to get tickets.

BLOSSOM KITE FESTIVAL

April 01, 2017
Join us on Saturday, April 1 for the Blossom Kite Festival featuring all day free family fun. Time: 10 AM – 4:30 PM Location: Grounds of the Washington Monument near 17th Street NW and Constitution Avenue.

The Blossom Kite Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers from across the US and other countries through a variety of competitions and demonstrations, Rokkaku Battles and the Hot Tricks Showdown. Bring your own kites or children can make a kite at an activity station (while supplies last) to fly on the Public Field. The rain date is Sunday, April 2, 2017.

NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL PARADE PRESENTED BY EVENTS DC

April 08, 2017
Enjoy this long-standing Washington tradition featuring lavish floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, and family entertainment. Time: 10 AM – Noon Location: Constitution Avenue – From 7th to 17th streets, NW. Cost: Starting at $20 for Grandstand Seating. Standing along the Parade route from Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets, NW is FREE and open to the public. Arrive early for the best views.

SOUTHWEST WATERFRONT FIREWORKS FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY HARRIS TEETER

April 15, 2017
Enjoy live music and entertainment for all ages preceding the Fireworks Show at 8:30 PM. Time: 2-9:30 PM; Fireworks display 8:30 PM (weather permitting) Location: 2 – 9:30 PM District Wharf – 600-650 Water Street, SW 6 – 9 PM Titanic Memorial, Southwest Waterfront Park Cost: FREE

»Image via National Park Service