2007 Festival Dates: March 31 - April 15, 2007 (Parade on Saturday, April 14)
Pictures of Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual welcoming of spring, in celebration of Tokyo Japan's gift of 3000 cherry trees, presented as a gesture of friendship, to the people of Washington, D.C., in 1912. The first Cherry Blossom Festival took place in 1935 and has grown through the years to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.
For two weeks in early spring, the nation's capital embraces this vibrant festival, consisting of gala events, family oriented fun, sporting and art competitions, cultural presentations and much more.
The highlights of the festival, other than the main attraction of the captivating pink and white cherry blossoms, include a spectacular National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, followed by Sakura Matsuri, a Japanese Street Festival featuring performing artists, Japanese arts and crafts, exhibitions of Japanese cuisine and many other exciting activities.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the beauty of nature and the beauty of cultural respect and understanding. It is about the relationship between the people of the United States and the people of Japan, symbolized each year with the arrival of the delicate, yet so meaningful, cherry tree blossoms.
Additonal Information About Cherry Trees and Japanese Festivals:
- Pictures of Cherry Blossoms in DC
- Cherry Blossoms in Japan
- Japanese Cherry Trees
- 2007 National Cherry Blossom Festival Planning Guide
