For information on all the many activities go to www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.  Here is just some of what is planned for families this year.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day & Opening Ceremony presented with the National Building Museum, Saturday, March 27, 401 F Street, NW, Family Day, 10:00 am - 3:30 pm., Opening Ceremony, 4:00 - 5:30 pm. Opening day marks the beginning of the two-week long celebration of the cherry blossoms and the commencement of spring in Washington, DC.  For the fifth year in a row, free Family Day festivities will be presented jointly by the Festival and the National Building Museum in anticipation of thousands of families from around the region and nation that will attend Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to enjoy a day of fun and participate in a variety of activities and see interesting displays, demonstrations, and performances. The Opening Ceremony will be held at the National Building Museum following the family activities from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. Also open to the general public a showcase of world-class entertainment representative of Japanese and Western cultures.

The 44th Annual Smithsonian Kite Festival, March 27 (raindate March 28), 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Washington Monument grounds - 17th & Constitution Ave, NW
Come to the National Mall for the annual Smithsonian Kite Festival. One of the opening day events for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Festival offers the thrill of competition, beauty in the sky and the most amazing kite flying one can see on the National Mall. Fun for everyone, the Festival includes kite competitions, hands-on kite making activity tents and flying demonstrations led by representatives from national kite organizations. As always, the festival features three competitions. For those who build their own kites, you are invited to enter the handmade kite competition. Your kite will be judged on its design, flying ability and creativity. Teams may also enter into two additional heart-stopping events: the always popular traditional Rokkaku kite battle to be held at the end of the day where teams fight for domination of the sky and the sixth annual Smithsonian Hot Tricks competition. Kite flyers strut their stuff on the field while dazzling the crowd with trick kite moves. Over 30 awards are given to participants throughout the day. Some of the top prizes include overall highest score, People’s Choice award and theme. Awards are given in three categories: Youth, Kite Maker and Master Kite Maker—anyone, and any age can take the top prize. So whether you make your own kite and enter it into competition or come out with the family with a picnic for the day, join us for the 44th annual Smithsonian Kite Festival.

Family Fun Zone, National Park Service, Saturdays & Sundays, March 27 - April 11 from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm at the Jefferson Memorial, Washington DC. Park Rangers entertain and educate children about the trees of other national parks, and they practice writing in Japanese. The art station allows budding artists to blossom with their own expressions of the cherry trees.

Bloomin' Junior Ranger, National Park Service, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, March 27 - April 11, from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area (near the paddle boats). Join National Park Service Rangers for fun and activities as they explore the history of the cherry blossoms. The activities are both fun and instructive. Learn about the trees, where they come from, why they are here, and also about being a Park Ranger. This program is intended for children between the ages of 6-12.

Tidal Basin Paddle Boats, March 10 - Apr 11, from 8:00 am - 11:00 am at the Tidal Basin Boat House, 1501 Maine Avenue, SW Washington DC. Boat rental is  $10/hour for 2 passenger boat; $18/hour for 4 passenger boat. Enjoy the cherry blossoms from a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin! Reserve your paddle boat ride online at www.TidalBasinPaddleBoats.com.

Japanese-style Garden Days at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens,  March 30- March 31, from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, NW Washington DC. Explore Hillwood’s Japanese-style Garden and celebrate the cherry blossom season with a special tour of this extraordinary garden. Garden docents will provide insight into the garden and be on hand all afternoon to bring it to life for visitors. Suggested donation: $12 adults; $10 seniors; $7 college students; $5 children (ages 6-18). No donation suggested for children under 6.Tours of the Mansion, cafe dining, and shopping are also part of these special spring days.

Silver Spring's Big Cherry Block Party, April 3, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, at 908 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Silver Spring's Big Cherry Block Party will include arts and crafts for adults and kids, producers, exhibitors and entertainment.

Arts for Families: Fun with Fans, April 3, 2-4pm, The Textile Museum, 2320 S Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008. Learn about fashion designer Issey Miyake's unique pleating technique in the exhibition Contemporary Japanese Fashion: The Mary Baskett Collection and decorate your own Japanese fan to take home.

Southwest Waterfront Musical Prelude to the Fireworks, April 03, from 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm at the Waterfront Park, 600 Water Street, SW Washington DC  Three-and-a-half hours of musical entertainment including performances by military and local musical groups, produced by the Washington Waterfront Association. Families can enjoy a variety of hands-on activities presented by Southwest Waterfront organizations.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Southwest Waterfront-area vendors.

National Cherry Blossom Festival Fireworks Show,  April 3, 8:30pm,  Southwest Waterfront - 7th Street & Maine Ave., SW Washington DC. Enjoy a spectacular fireworks show from the Washington Channel. Best viewing at East Potomac Park or Southwest Waterfront promenade. Enjoy the sky spectacle on land at the festival or watch them from the water on the fireworks cruise aboard the Spirit of Washington.
The Fireworks occur rain or shine; only extremely inclement weather will cause their delay or cancellation. For up-to-the-minute status reports if weather is questionable, please call (877) 44BLOOM.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Saturday April 10, 10am. rain or shine.
The Parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW, and will be featured in a live simulcast on ABC 7/ WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8.  Giant colorful balloons, marching bands, and performers will burst down Constitution Avenue in an energy-filled spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. TICKETS: Prime viewing grandstand seats are now on sale (see www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org). Standing elsewhere along the Parade route (Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets, NW) is free and open to the public.

"The Sakura Matsuri -- Japanese Street Festival" Saturday, April 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., is the largest one-day exhibition of Japanese culture in the United States, drawing over 160,000 visitors in just one day. Now in its 50th year, the Sakura Matsuri covers six square blocks of downtown DC, centered at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. It will take place right after the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Japanese food and music, arts and crafts, geisha, sumo, anime and manga, martial arts, sake, taiko drums, ikebana and bonsai. No matter what, if it’s Japanese, it’s at the Sakura Matsuri. Traditional Japanese performing Arts on these stages -- including koto music, classical and folk dances, the dramatic taiko drums, Japanese street performers, and a special appearance by four geisha, direct from Tokyo. Martial Arts demonstrations on Freedom Plaza, including karate, aikido, sumo, and kyudo.
Japan Arts, Crafts, Culture, and Game demonstrations and displays, where visitors meet the artists and craftsmen and touch, see, and learn all about Japan. J-Pop Land celebrates Japan’s modern, youthful culture, from pop music to anime and fashion. It includes a special pavilion to introduce Japanese pop culture, sponsored by Westwood College and shops that appeal to the young at heart. The Ginza Marketplace, features Japanese products for sale -- from kimono to Japanaese dolls. Among new vendors this year are Wuhao (Japanese tenugui textiles), Utsuwa-no-Yakata (Japanese dishes and pottery), and Greeting Life (Japanese greeting cards). Taste of Japan is the most popular area of the festival, with 15 Japanese and Asian restaurants, two Japanese Beer Gardens with Kirin Ichiban beer, and a sake tasting are with a range of products Hakutsuru, one of Japan’s leading sake brewers. Four Matsuri Markets sell a wide variety of soft drinks from Coca-Cola, matsuri T-shirts, Ito-en Tea, and Japanese snacks. A new Children’s Corner, an interactive hands-on area where volunteers from the JET Alumni Association will introduce a variety of traditional Japanese activities, from origami (Japanese paper-folding) to Japanese games, language, and story-telling.