This year’s National Cherry Blossom festival features a hybrid of socially-distanced and virtual events, including a “Petal Porch Parade” that spreads the cherry blossom celebration beyond the Tidal Basin and into neighborhoods around DC. The festival is asking residents to decorate the front of their homes in commemoration of the season, and to keep the decor up from March 20 to April 11.
You can register to participate in this pageantry of florescence here. Budding decorators (heh) are not limited to porches—any forward-facing space is eligible, including sidewalks, yards, and windows. Design guidelines are loose, calling for visual celebrations of spring and the “it” color of cherry tree season, blossom pink.
The most densely-decorated neighborhoods will be highlighted in a “petal procession” on April 10 and 11. During the parade, the festival will travel to petal-strewn hotspots by way of vehicles painted by DC-area artists. Currently, participating homes are concentrated around Mount Pleasant, Brightwood, 16th Street Heights, and Lincoln Park.
Take a look at the festival’s map to check out some of the blossom-themed displays:
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
