The National Cherry Blossom Festival (NCBF) is one of the most anticipated annual events in the district, with people traveling from all over the world to witness the beauty of D.C.’s cherry blossom trees while they are in bloom!
Every year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival runs for roughly four weeks around mid-spring to celebrate the blooming of D.C.’s cherry blossoms, a gift from Japan dating back 97 years!
Official dates of the 2025 National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival just recently announced that the official dates for the 2025 festival will be from March 20th to April 13th.
After last year’s cherry blossom bloom lasted an unusually long time, despite it being one of the earliest blooms in recent history, it’s uncertain exactly when peak bloom may occur this upcoming spring.
In fact, the National Park Service typically does not make their official prediction of when peak bloom will occur until late winter or early spring.
What events are happening at the National Cherry Blossom Festival 2025?
The headlining events of next year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival are consistent with what they have been in the past:
- The Opening Ceremony
- The Pink Tie Party
- The National Cherry Blossom Parade
- The Blossom Kite Festival
- Petalpalooza
While the exact dates of each of these events are yet to be announced, the events have already been confirmed as the National Cherry Blossom Festival is actively seeking new sponsors.
What you need to know about the National Cherry Blossom Festival 2025
As the National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the district, there are a few things you should expect, some of which seasoned Washingtonians are already well aware of!
- Washington, D.C. gets filled with tourists
Considering people travel from all over the world to see the capital city turn into a pink paradise every spring, it should be little to no surprise that the city starts to feel overcrowded.
That being said, the best you can do is avoid the typical spots like the Tidal Basin, which becomes a tourist hotspot during the NCBF.
Instead, opt for one of these lesser-known viewing spots around the district to see the blooms in person.
- Friends & Family from out of town might ask to visit
A seasoned Washingtonian is accustomed to the annual messages from out-of-towners coming every year around springtime, it typically comes just after the first few photos of the cherry blossom blooms go viral on social media.
Prepare for this by having those conversations well before springtime, in fact, now that the official dates for the 2025 festival have been announced, you can already let people know if/when they can stay!
- Everything has a cherry blossom theme
Whether it be happy hour cocktails, a specialty menu, ice cream, or even a spa treatment… if it’s springtime in D.C., it’ll be pink and cherry blossom themed!
Unfortunately, these seasonal specialties might come at a cost, so if you want to avoid overspending this spring, stick to your local classic spots and avoid any business flaunting its pink-petal-themed goods or services.