D.C. Cherry Blossom dates
Washington, D.C.'s Cherry Blossom Festival runs March 20–April 1 with peak viewing at the Tidal Basin and National Mall — the classic stateside hanami experience. (thebaynet.com) The guide highlights the festival calendar and best viewing corridors for planning visits this window. (thebaynet.com)
The National Park Service projects peak bloom at the Tidal Basin for March 29–April 1, 2026, with the timing still contingent on spring weather. (nps.gov) Once peak bloom begins, the blossoms typically remain on the trees for seven to ten days under calm conditions. (nps.gov) NPS and festival organizers define peak bloom as roughly 70% of Yoshino cherry blossoms open around the Tidal Basin — the benchmark used for public forecasts. (washingtonian.com) More than 3,800 cherry trees ring the Tidal Basin and adjacent memorials and parkland on the National Mall. (gateway.nationalmall.org) Park crews removed about 306 trees during seawall rehabilitation work and plan to install roughly 426 new trees, including 269 cherry trees, as replacements. (nationalparkstraveler.org) Separate planting efforts list several hundred new Yoshino saplings being added to the landscape, with about 250 trees reported as gifts from Japan tied to America250 celebrations. (wtop.com) The Park Service’s peak-bloom forecast uses a 217 “degree days” threshold — an accumulated-warmth model that begins after dormancy to predict when blossoms will open. (wusa9.com)
