Photos: Get ready for Washington’s cherry blossoms
The 2017 National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 15 through April 16 in Washington. The scenes in this gallery were captured during last year's festival.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
The National Park Service predicts that the trees could reach their peak bloom starting March 14, which would be the earliest peak on record.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Peak bloom is reached when 70% of the blossoms are open on the Yoshino cherry trees surrounding the Tidal Basin.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
The festival marks the 1912 gift from Tokyo of 3,000 cherry trees to Washington.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
The Jefferson Memorial framed by cherry blossoms, a popular scene for visitors to photograph.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
A rising full moon added a bit of drama to the budding trees along Washington's Tidal Basin in 2016.
J. David Ake/AP
There are usually fewer blossom-peepers during the week.