The National Park Service projects the cherry blossom trees that line the Tidal Basin in D.C. will likely be at peak bloom from March 28 to 31.
That projection puts the trees at peak bloom later in the season than last year.
In 2024, the famed trees were at their best between March 23 and 26.
During an event Thursday to announce when the trees are expected to bloom, Kevin Griess, with the National Park Service, jokingly teased the crowd before revealing the highly-anticipated dates.
“We’re ready to announce the predicted bloom dates, but first, let’s hear from a very special guest,” said Griess, who works as the superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks.
The highly anticipated dates were revealed by Griess with a “Jeopardy” style response, “What is March 28 to the 31st, 2025?”
Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to visit the nation’s capital to see trees.
“There’s an international flavor,” he said. “I’ve served in many other countries, and the cherry blossom is one thing that just breaks all translations.”
‘Keep Stumpy’s spirit alive’ National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place March 20 through April 13, starting with the Pink Tie Party on March 14.
The 2024 festival drew in 1.6 million visitors, topping 2019’s pre-pandemic numbers. The events celebrate how the city of Tokyo gifted D.C. 3,000 cherry blossom trees in 1912.
Last year, the Park Service removed around 150 cherry trees as part of a project to address flooding issues at the Tidal Basin. One of the trees removed to accommodate a seawall project to fix the flooding was “Stumpy,” a crowd-favorite that suffered from some health issues.
On Thursday, Diana Mayhew, the president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, said a new event will honor the beloved tree, “Stumpy’s Petal and Paddles Race.”
A portion of the entry fees will be donated to the Trust for the National Mall’s Cherry Tree Endowment Fund — which helps with the cost of maintaining the trees.
“We’ll keep Stumpy’s spirit alive,” Mayhew said.
In August, cuttings removed from “Stumpy” took root at the National Arboretum with hopes of bringing the tree’s relatives to the Tidal Basin in the future.
Parade
The festival ends with the annual parade April 12.
Some of the singers performing in the parade will include Crystal Waters and maryjo.
Organizers said Disney’s “Princess Ariel” will be part of the parade for the first time, alongside “Mickey Mouse” and “Minnie.”
How peak bloom is predicted
The blooming period, when 70% of the cherry tree blossoms are open, can last up to two weeks and is usually announced by the National Park Service.
The peak bloom date is based on long-term weather forecasts, historical records and the current appearance of the trees, according to Griess.
Griess said caring for the 3,500 trees is a passion for his staff who “revel in this celebration.”
“They know the little bio every tree. They know the chemical makeup of the tree,” Griess said, adding that this is his first cherry blossom festival. “It blew me away when I got here, because they take it with passion.”
Predicting peak bloom is not an exact science.
Six out of the past nine years, peak bloom has arrived earlier than the park service’s prediction. Over the past decade, the only time the park service nailed the prediction was last year, when the blossoms hit peak bloom March 23. The park service had predicted peak bloom between March 22 and March 25.
Warm temperatures can speed up the process, which consists of six stages.
By this time in 2023, D.C.’s Yoshino cherry trees had started to bud, the first stage in the emergence of the blossoms.
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