The Washington Monument provided the backdrop as a multitude of kites, tethered to energetic children below, took to the sky this weekend. Early Saturday rain could not keep away the hundreds of people who ventured to the National Mall to celebrate the two-week Cherry Blossom Festival.
Young and old enjoyed many events, which included walking tours around the Tidal Basin, martial arts demonstrations and performances by traditional Japanese dancers. Tourists and D.C. residents alike revelled in the natural beauty of the annual blossoming of the city's famous cherry trees.
This year's festival, which runs March 27 through April 11, commemorates 150 years of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan. The highlight of the festival is the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, and runs down Constitution Avenue. A complete schedule of events is available at www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
