After two years of being held virtually due to the pandemic, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will return with all in-person events in 2022, officials announced Tuesday.
The festival is scheduled for March 20 through April 17.
“D.C. is open and that means that the National Cherry Blossom Festival is back in person,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press release. “In neighborhoods across D.C., the cherry blossoms have been a bright spot during the past two years – a beautiful reminder of hope and renewal. Now, we can’t wait to welcome visitors back to Washington, D.C., to experience the full in-person 2022 National Cherry Blossom Festival and all that DC has to offer.”
The mayor’s office, National Park Service and others are working in partnership with the festival to plan programming.
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Amazon and Events DC were announced as lead sponsors of the festival.
“This upcoming celebration of spring will be a testament to the power of what it means to come together, revitalizing a tradition that people look forward to every year," Events DC President and CEO Greg O’Dell said in the release.
“Amazon is proud to support the National Cherry Blossom Festival for the second year in a row,” Amazon Vice President of Public Policy Brian Huseman said. “As our company invests in and expands across the region, we are committed to being a good neighbor and community partner.”
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The official artwork for the festival was created by Falls Church, Virginia, native Lea Craigie-Marshall and includes monarch butterflies with the blossoms.
“Both the blossoms and the monarchs are precious and fleeting, and it’s important to protect them both for future generations to enjoy,” she said in the release. “I wanted to include the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial as well, two of my favorites and really an iconic part of the festival.”