Mayor Bowser Announces the Cherry Blossom Bus Tour

Bus Will Embark on Four-Day, Five-City Tour in Celebration of DC’s Cherry Blossom Season

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development announced the Cherry Blossom Bus Tour, which will take place from February 26 through March 1. A 45-foot coach bus displaying the National Cherry Blossom Festival theme of pink blossoms and the tag line “Follow Us To Spring!” will embark on a four-day, five-city bus tour starting in Boston, followed by New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and ending in DC. Funding for this initiative comes from Mayor Bowser’s FY23 budget.

“Cherry blossom season brings so much hope and joy to DC every spring, and we want more people to experience the beauty of our cherry blossoms,” said Mayor Bowser. “We love hosting visitors from around the world and across the nation, and this year our team is going on the road to help people plan their trip. But you don’t have to be on the bus to help us spread the word that DC is a fantastic place to spend your spring.”

The National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from March 20 through April 1. Each year, the festival marks the beginning of spring in the nation’s capital and attracts more than 1.5 million people to the District. At the heart of the festival is the blooming of 3,000 cherry blossom trees along the Tidal Basin, a gift celebrating international friendship and cultural connection between the people of Japan and the people of the United States. The cherry blossom trees were gifted to Washington, DC by the Mayor of Tokyo in 1912.

The Cherry Blossom Bus Tour riders will consist of members of partner organizations, including the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Destination DC, Events DC, Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and more. The delegation is led by John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

At each stop, the team will implement curated experiential activations that celebrate the best of DC— from art to music, food and drinks, and community. For example, the bus stop in Boston’s Seaport District will host a family-friendly #ExperienceDC Cherry Blossom pop-up, with Go-Go music, DC tourism giveaways, and a workshop to create paper cherry blossoms.

The riders of the bus tour will board in Boston and travel through New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The bus tour will end in Washington, DC at the Conrad Hotel on March 1 at 11:00 a.m. At that time, Mayor Bowser and riders of the Cherry Blossom Bus Tour will attend a press conference held by the National Park Service to announce the peak bloom season for the cherry blossom trees.

“When people think of spring, we want them to think of DC and come and experience all our amazing cultural events, dining scene, funky marketplaces, and unique neighborhoods,” said Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio. “We are only a short ride away from these cities in the Northeast corridor, whether by car, bus, train, or plane. In addition to being the nation's capital, DC is the best city in the world and home to around 3,800 cherry blossom trees.”

“The National Cherry Blossom Festival invites residents and visitors to spring it on and go all out in celebrating the famous cherry blossoms with four weeks of food, fun, culture, and entertainment,” said Diana Mayhew, Festival President and CEO. “Washington, D.C. is THE springtime destination, and we are proud welcome everyone to be a part of this iconic tradition as it blooms throughout the region.”

For more information about tourism in DC, visit www.washington.org. For more information about the National Cherry Blossom Festival, go to www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.