1. Marking the Beginning of Spring
The Cherry Blossoms:
Marking the Beginning of Spring

2. What is the Cherry Blossom?
The Sakura tree, Japanese for
“Cherry Blossom”, represents the
short-lived beauty and nature of life
The trees are found around the
Himalayas and in east Asia such as China, Korea and Japan
Japan has over 305 species of Cherry Blossoms
When in bloom, the trees look white from nearly top to bottom
Its flowers are nearly pure white, tinged with the palest pink, especially near the stem. The flowers bloom, and usually fall within a week, before the leaves come out.

3. The History of the Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C.
The 3000 trees given to the U.S. in 1912
were a gift from Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of
Tokyo, symbolizing the close relationship between the U.S. and Japan
On March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park
In 1965, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson accepted an additional 3,800 more trees from Japan
Today, the famous trees signal the coming of spring with an explosion of life and color surrounding the Tidal Basin portion of the West Potomac Park in a sea of pale pink and white

4. The Cherry Blossom Festival
The Festival is held between March 31st and April 15th
Over ONE MILLION people visit Washington D.C. each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees
The Festival is comprised of:
Parades
Street Festivals
Performances

5. What the Festival Has to Offer
The Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run
Held on the first Sunday in April
Cherry Blossom Soccer
Co-ed, 7v7 teams from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area compete for the Cherry Blossom Cup on the Mall
River Blossoms Tours
Get to view 3000 cherry blossoms from
the water
Tidal Basin Paddle Boating
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
Held on the last Saturday of the Festival

6. Want More Information?
Visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival Website:
Contact the Festival Hotline:
(202)
ASK AROUND!