By Matt Koehler Spring is in the air and the days requiring multiple layers of clothing to walk or bike a few blocks from A to B are (hopefully) dwindling. Several spring-like days in mid-late February had many venturing outside only to discover that District flora was already popping. And starting this month, the National […]
“Hope and Renewal:” National Cherry Blossom Festival is Back In-Person
By Southwester Staff The National Cherry Blossom Festival is bringing back its celebrated in-person events this year, but with added safety precautions. With vaccinations and natural immunity to COVID-19 on the rise after the Omicron variant swept through the District, the Festival is ready to revive the events in a “safe and responsible” way with […]
National Cherry Blossom Festival to Return in 2022
By Southwester Staff The National Cherry Blossom Festival will make its return in 2022, after the pandemic cancelled 2021 events and caused authorities to warn visitors away from the Tidal Basin during cherry blossom season. National Cherry Blossom Festival President Diana Mayhew announced that the festival’s signature events will take place in person between March […]
Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival: April 15th
On Saturday, April 15, enjoy the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival presented by Harris Teeter at Gangplank Marina and the District Wharf between 600-650 Water St. SW from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Additional performances and activities will be presented from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Waterfront Park near the Titanic Memorial concluding with a spectacular […]
National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Barbara Ehrlich Named Volunteer of the Year

Barbara Ehrlich, an active member of the Southwest DC community, has been named Volunteer of the Year by the International Festival and Events Association (IFEA) for her 25 years of service with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Ehrlich played a significant role in the creation of the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival. Through her dedicated engagement […]
Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival Returns
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the nation’s greatest springtime celebration. The 2016 festival, March 20 – April 17, includes three spectacular weeks and four weekends of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit. On Saturday, April 9, enjoy the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, […]
Sackler Gallery Prepares for the Cherry Blossom Festival
A special exhibit called “Kiyochika: Master of the Night” will be taking place at the Sackler Gallery as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrations. Kiyochika is a Japanese artist noted for his print works, which are reflections on the uneasy transformations in Tokyo of railroads, steamships, gaslights, and brick buildings in the late […]