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Contact: Mike Litterst, 202-245-4676
Washington – Special programs and services offered by the National Park Service during the 2019 National Cherry Blossom Festival are now underway, including the Cherry Blossom Festival Tidal Basin Welcome Area, festival-related lantern walks, and ranger talks and tours around the Tidal Basin and National Mall. National Park Service festival events will be held daily through April 9, and on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14. All activities are free of charge.
Visitor information during the festival will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area, located near the paddle boats in the Tidal Basin parking lot. Food, souvenir, and book sales are also located in the same area, available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Daily Schedule of Special Events
March 29 – April 9
April 13-14
Tidal Basin Welcome Area 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Begin your visit to the National Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area, located off Maine Avenue, SW, on the northeast side of the Tidal Basin. Information tents, performance stage, food and souvenir sales areas, and first aid station provide everything you need for a fun-filled visit.
Stop by the National Park Service tent to become a Cherry Blossom Protector, earn a Bloomin’ Junior Ranger badge, and participate in the cherry blossom community art project.
East Potomac Park Shuttle 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Shuttle service with 11 stops around East Potomac Park between Hains Point and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is available free of charge. Provided by D.C. Circulator, the service will operate through April 9 and on April 13-14 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Cherry Blossom Ranger Talk – Jefferson Memorial 12 p.m., 4 p.m.
Join a Park Ranger and learn more about the history and lore of the cherry blossoms. Programs meet on the plaza in front of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
Cherry Blossom Ranger Talk – Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial 2 p.m., 6 p.m.
Join a Park Ranger and learn more about the history and lore of the cherry blossoms. Programs meet at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial bookstore.
Special Programs
Ranger-led Lantern Walks March 30-31, April 6-7, April 13-14
Bring your flashlight for an evening stroll beneath the blossoms; evening is one of the best times to beat the crowds and enjoy the beautiful serenity of the Cherry Trees! This 1.8 mile, two hour guided walk around the Tidal Basin begins at 8 p.m. at the National Park Service tent in the Tidal Basin Welcome Area. Tours offered every Saturday and Sunday evening between March 29 and April 14.
Ranger Bike Tour April 6-7
Grab your own bike, helmet, and water for a leisurely ride beneath the blossoms. The three-hour tour departs from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (East Basin Drive) on Saturday, April 6 at 1 p.m.
Pups ‘n Petals Dog Walk March 30, April 6, April 13
Bring your furry friend for a two-hour stroll among the cherry blossoms! Meet outside the Franklin Delano Roosevelt bookstore at 4 p.m. Don’t forget your leash (required), waste bags and water.
For the full schedule of National Park Service cherry blossom events, including the Anacostia River Festival to be held in Anacostia Park, as well as a history of the cherry blossoms, and the bloom watch countdown, go to www.nps.gov/cherry.
For the full schedule of events sponsored by the National Cherry Blossom Festival, see www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
If You Go
Due to extremely limited public parking, the National Park Service strongly recommends all visitors take Metro or bike to the festival. The closest Metro stop to the festival and the Tidal Basin is the Smithsonian station. The L’Enfant Plaza, Metro Center, and Federal Triangle Metro stations are also within walking distance. Nine Capital Bikeshare stations are available within the National Mall to provide another transportation option.
D.C. Circulator service is also available around the Tidal Basin, via the National Mall route. Stops near the cherry blossoms include the Holocaust Memorial Museum/Bureau of Engraving and Printing (adjacent to the Tidal Basin Welcome Area) and the Jefferson Memorial.
Handicapped parking is designated on West Basin Drive at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. Additional handicapped parking is available on southbound Ohio Drive on the Washington Boundary Channel side of Hains Point, north of the intersection with Buckeye Drive.
From Saturday, March 30 through Sunday, April 14, Ohio Drive SW through West Potomac Park will be one way only (westbound) between Inlet Bridge and 23rd Street SW.
NPS
Last updated: March 30, 2019