Watch the Cherry Blossoms in Real-Time at the National Mall in D.C. on the "Bloom Cam"
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to rear its head nationwide, Americans from coast-to-coast may be unable to travel to the famed National Cherry Blossom trees in Washington, D.C. for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, but that doesn't mean the pale pink beauties can't come to us. Together, The Trust for the National Mall, and The National Cherry Blossom Festival will once again be streaming the BloomCam—donated by EarthCam—which will display live views of the cherry trees at the National Mall Tidal Basin. Currently, the LIVE BloomCam is temporarily down as the team behind it makes some updates, but you can enjoy a time-lapse video from last year to tide you over. This year, cherry blossom peak bloom is expected to fall between April 2 and April 5.
In addition to virtual events, this year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival will have some socially distanced events for locals to enjoy: "We're excited to announce that the 2021 Festival will bloom this spring (March 20-April 11), with an innovative format that honors the tradition of the Festival, while prioritizing the health and safety of participants amidst the coronavirus pandemic," reads a statement on the festival's website. Such in-person events include kite-flying, and a hunt for 25 giant cherry blossom sculptures around Washington, D.C., featuring the pieces of local and national artists.
Of course, the cancellation of the regular in-person festival lineup and lack of visitors coming to town for the occasion creates a huge financial burden for the care and maintenance of the cherry trees. To make a donation to support the trees, you can partake in the "Endow a Cherry Tree at the National Mall" campaign here. Endowing a tree costs $1,000, and you can do so individually or with a team. Trees can be named in honor of someone or through the support of a company, group, or individual. Donations of any size can also be made directly to the fund.
We're looking forward to the day when we can experience seeing some of these 3,700 cherry blossom trees in person, but for now we're grateful for a moment of zen as we stay put at home.
