Cherry Blossom Festival DC 2022: When To Expect Peak Bloom This ...

Though the details surrounding the beloved National Cherry Blossom Festival have changed from year to year, the trees are still trees. They keep on blooming, and you can plan a trip to see those beautiful blossoming trees in Washington, DC this month.

Cherry Blossoms, somewhat poetically, require a period of cold before the spring sun warms the plant enough to bloom. The length of the blooming period is entirely dependent on the weather—with a long bloom period extending to two weeks, and a short period lasting just four or five days, according to Cherry Blossom Watch. To make sure you can catch the window when the Cherry Blossoms are at peak bloom, turn to the experts. Fortunately, the National Park Service (NPS) has experts on the case.

The NPS says peak bloom lands on the day when 70% of the Yoshino cherry trees in DC's Tidal Basin are in bloom. The NPS puts out an annual projection of when that peak will arrive. Though, it's hard to project with accuracy more than about a week-and-a-half from the bloom. Nonetheless, the NPS does its best to update the projected date as March wears on. The closer we are to that date, the more accurate the forecast will be.

Here's what to know about planning a trip to see the peak bloom in Washington DC, so that you can be there when those trees are at their most beautiful.

When will DC's cherry blossoms reach peak bloom this year?

The NPS projects that peak bloom would occur from March 23-26. According to NPS' Bloom Watch, florets (the beginning stage of bloom) were observed on March 5. Last year, the appearance of florets happened earlier, on March 1.

In 2023, the NPS prediction was between March 22-25, and they were right on the money. On March 23, 2023, the NPS announced that DC's peak cherry blossom bloom had officially hit and that the blossoms were "putting on a gorgeous show."

How can I see DC's cherry blossoms?

Plan on making your way down to DC's Tidal Basin, which is located in West Potomac Park near the National Mall. For an even more immersive experience, you can check out the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which draws around 1.5 million people to the nation's capital to enjoy the pink blossoms every year. This year's festival will run between March 20 and April 14 and will feature a parade, art installations, cultural events at the Japan Information and Culture Center, and dozens of other events, most of which are free.

If you really want to be involved in this year's National Cherry Blossom Festival, you can even volunteer to sign up through the festival website. Volunteers can assist with everything from planting trees to being goodwill ambassadors.

Ahead of peak bloom, the NPS launched its live cherry blossom bloom cam. The bloom cam offers a live look at the National Mall Tidal Basin's cherry trees as viewed from the top of the nearby Salamander Washington DC. So even if you can't make it to the capital in person, you can still get a birds-eye-view of the show.