National Cherry Blossom Festival Photo Gallery
March 25, 2016
Millions of people visit Washington D.C. for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, taking place this year from March 20 to April 17. The festival began in 1935, soon after Mayor Yukio Ozaki from Japan presented 3,000 cherry trees to the United States to commemorate the long-lasting friendship between the two countries. The Opening Ceremony for the cherry blossom festival, featuring world-famous performers, will take place on March 26 in the Warner Theatre. Other events related to the cherry blossoms include the Blossom Kite Festival on April 2, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 16, and Sakura Matsuri (Japanese Street Festival) on April 16.
Cherry blossom buds and flowers surrounded many parts of Washington D.C. on March 25.
![Kai Wang conducts Symphonic Orchestra as the first Jefferson orchestra performance composed and conducted by a student. Everyone in the ensemble dressed in red to symbolize good fortune and joy for the Lunar New Year. “I was just proud of him, because [the piece] was such quality,” orchestra director Allison Bailey said.](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_0893.jpeg)
![Sophomore Holly Huang twirls a ribbon as she performs her dance, “Joy of the Dragon.” Chinese ribbon dance is a traditional art form originating in ancient China. Her ribbon dance was inspired by the revered mythical creature and this year’s Chinese zodiac sign, the dragon. “My ribbon symbolized a dragon flying in the air. My outfit was [also] inspired by the dragon, the color was the same color as my ribbon, but on the shoulder there were some details like dragon scales,” Huang said. “I liked how there were a lot of people in the audience and it was just really fun to perform.”](https://www.tjtoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_0964-1-600x387.jpg)