National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual celebration held in Washington, DC, typically occurring in late March or early April, depending on the blooming of the cherry trees. This festival originated in 1912 when Tokyo's mayor, Yukio Ozaki, gifted 3,000 cherry trees to the United States as a symbol of friendship and goodwill. The trees were first planted at the Tidal Basin by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and the Japanese ambassador's wife. The festival has evolved over the years, with its first official ceremony taking place in 1927 and a more structured celebration beginning in 1934.
Despite being temporarily discontinued during World War II, the festival was revived post-war and has become a prominent cultural event, featuring the selection of Cherry Blossom princesses from each state. The festival is now sponsored by a coalition of organizations and spans two weeks, aligning with the peak bloom period of the cherry trees, which generally occurs between March 20 and April 15. The event not only showcases the beauty of the cherry blossoms but also promotes the enduring friendship between Japan and the United States. Horticulturists continue to care for and cultivate the cherry trees, ensuring their legacy for future generations.
National Cherry Blossom Festival
National Cherry Blossom Festival
This is a movable event
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, held annually in Washington, DC, in April or late March depending on the weather and the state of the cherry blooms, had its origin in a friendly gesture by the city of Tokyo, Japan. In 1912, Tokyo mayor Yukio Ozaki gave 3,000 cherry trees to Washington as a symbol of Japan's wish for good relations with the United States. The first of the trees, which today surround Washington's graceful Tidal Basin, were planted on March 27, 1912, by First Lady Helen Herron Taft, wife of President William Howard Taft. She was accompanied by Viscountess Chinda, wife of Yasuya Uchida, the Japanese ambassador to the United States.
The first ceremony connected with the trees took place in April 1927, when some Washington schoolchildren reenacted the original planting. This pageant was repeated annually until 1934, when the District of Columbia government put on a more ambitious, three-day program including the crowning of the first Cherry Blossom Festival queen. The festival was discontinued during World War II, and several patriotic groups sought to have the trees destroyed since the country was at war with Japan. Fortunately, they were unsuccessful. Beginning in 1949, Cherry Blossom princesses were chosen from every state to participate in the festival.
The Washington Convention and Visitors Bureau became the sole sponsor of the postwar festival in 1948 and expanded the program to a week. In 1974 the National Conference of State Societies took over as sponsor, with the Downtown Jaycees sponsoring a related parade. In modern times, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is sponsored by National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., a coalition of public and private organizations. In 1994, the festival was expanded again to two weeks.
The festival is timed to coincide with the blossoming of the cherry trees, which usually takes place between March 20 and April 15. According to records maintained by the National Park Service, the earliest known blooming of the cherry trees on any given year was on March 15, 1990, and the latest was on April 18, 1958.
Over the years, some of the original trees have died. American and Japanese horticulturists have cultivated cuttings from the original cherry blossom trees to restore and expand the groves.
"About Us." National Cherry Blossom Festival, 2024, nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/about-us/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"History of the Cherry Trees." National Park Service, 5 Mar. 2024, www.nps.gov/subjects/cherryblossom/history-of-the-cherry-trees.htm. Accessed 1 May 2024.