The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade Caps Four Weeks of Blooms
The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade Caps Four Weeks of Blooms
The nation's capital is wrapping up its biggest spring celebration. The 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival — four weeks of events marking the 1912 gift of 3,020 cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington — closes this weekend with the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on Saturday, April 11 along Constitution Avenue. The parade features floats, marching bands, giant balloons, and performers from across the country in one of DC's largest and most photographed annual spectacles.
The festival's run has already included the Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds, a day-long Capitol Riverfront celebration with fireworks over the Anacostia River, the Japanese Street Festival, and the opening ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall. The Tidal Basin's peak bloom drew record crowds earlier in the month. Saturday's parade is the official send-off.
If you're going: parade spots along Constitution Avenue fill by 9 a.m. The Smithsonian and Federal Triangle Metro stations are the closest drop-offs. Bring layers — DC April weather changes its mind by the hour.
