As many Washingtonians may already know, the National Cherry Blossom Festival of Washington DC will be running this year from March 20th to April 14th and there are still  plenty of events to get involved with for those looking to volunteer! The peak cherry blossom blooming dates for this year are predicted to be March 26th to March 30th so you should be able to enjoy the pink and white blossoms at many of the events.

Volunteering through the National Cherry Blossom Festival (NCBF):
NCBF have their volunteers for all events go through the same application process. There are plenty of events to volunteer at including Family Days at the National Building Museum, the Opening Ceremony, Blossom Kite Festival, Southwest Waterfront Fireworks festival, annual Parade and more! Check out the official website to find out more about each event and apply to volunteer.

Volunteering at the Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival (run by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC):
Those interested in volunteering at the famous Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival need to apply directly through the Japan-America Society of Washington DC. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, April 13th! Check out the official website for an online application for volunteers.

Volunteering to clean-up the Tidal Basin:
The Japan-America Society of Washington DC is also working with the National Park Service to help prep the Tidal Basin for the crowds arriving in just a few weeks! Come out on March 9th for a morning of spring cleaning and mulching! Check out the official flyer for volunteer details and application information.

Even if you don’t have time to volunteer this year, hopefully you can enjoy some hanami if you’re in the area! The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs events daily so take a look at their event calendar to have a fun visit and maybe soak up some Japanese culture too.