2026-07-15 22:10:28 Where you can see cherry blossoms before they bloom in DC – NEW WTOP Skip to main content

Where you can see cherry blossoms before they bloom in DC

By Jeff Clabaugh

If you’d like to avoid the Tidal Basin crowds and see this year’s cherry blossoms before they bloom in D.C., National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a good bet.

The National Harbor’s Cherry Blossom festivities run March 20 through April 14, and include entertainment, hotel room packages, restaurant and bar specials. It also has the annual Sakura Sunday Festival on March 24. The free festival showcases Japanese culture and is hosted by the Japan-American Society of Washington.

National Harbor is part of the D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival, but its trees bloom earlier than those in D.C.

In 2019, National Harbor planted 100 Okame cherry trees, more than doubling the 100 or so that were already there at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center.

As part of the National Harbor cherry blossom festival, the Capital Wheel will be lit up pink. And the Fleet Street Lights suspended over the street will be programmed with a pink-themed lighting show every night.

National Harbor Cherry Blossom Festival specials and information can be found on the festival website.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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