Nothing marks the start of spring than the beautiful display of pink and white explosions of cherry tree blossoms. Cherry blossoms are dependent on the weather so their blooms vary by year. If you're thinking of checking them out this year, here are three places to check out:
BROOKLYN, NY
Sakura Matsuri, the annual cherry blossom festival at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, offers over 60 events and performances that celebrate traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. The festival marks the end of hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of enjoying each moment of the cherry blossom season. This year, the festival will be held April 29-30, 2017 from 10AM to 6PM.
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ
Essex County's Branch Brook Park in the North Ward section of Newark and part of Belleville in New Jersey boasts the largest display of cherry blossoms with over 5,000 trees and 18 different varieties according to nj.com. In 2017, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival will take place April 8 through April 13 featuring a variety of events including a Family Fun Day on April 22 and Bloomfest! on April 23. Click here for the full schedule.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
If you're thinking of planning a trip to Washington D.C. this year, you may want to plan it when it is cherry blossom season. A gift of Japan in 1912, the famous cherry blossom trees surround the Tidal Basin of our nation's capital, and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This year, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival will be from March 15 through April 2. According to the National Park Service, the peak blooming season was March 25, 2017.
