Events/Things To Do

Pink isn’t just a color, it’s a vibe. Celebrate the arrival of cherry blossom season at Long Bridge Park in National Landing for a two-part, pink-themed Saturday festival with morning activities for families and evening events for adults. Pump up the pink at Pink in the Park, presented by Amazon and produced by the National Landing Business Improvement District.

• Pink in the Pool: Jump into a splash of pink at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center. From 9 a.m. to noon, families are invited to take a free swim and toss around pink beach balls. After a dip in the pool, continue the family fun with kite and origami making, face painting, giveaways, sweet treats from Kona Ice, and tons of pink.

• Pink in the Park: The fun continues from 3 to 7 p.m. in the lot at Long Bridge Park for unforgettable music and entertainment with special guest and celebrity host Orlando Jones, and performances by DJ Chan Don, Crush Funk Brass, Umami House, Footwerk, Reesa Renee, and headliner Black Alley. Enjoy a beer and wine garden, food trucks, immersive art installations, Instagrammable moments, and much more. Performance lineup includes: 

  • 3:00 p.m.: DJ Chan Don

  • 3:30 p.m.: Crush Funk Brass

  • 4:00 p.m.: Umami House

  • 4:30 p.m. Footwerk

  • 5:00 p.m.: Reesa Renee

  • 5:45 p.m.: Black Alley 

Adult beverages, including beer and wine, will be provided by Crystal City Wine Shop, DC Brau, Drunk Fruit, Lost Boy Cider and more. Guests can also sample flavors of National Landing restaurants and food trucks including: 

• Peruvian Brothers 

• Pho Wheels 

• The Grease Wagon 

• Health Pub

• Beauty Champagne Bar

• Kona Ice

• King of Pops

• Nasim & Co

“With Pink in the Park, we are excited to bring all the pink energy and celebratory spirit of the National Cherry Blossom Festival across the river to National Landing in Arlington, Virginia,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “We’re proud to be highlighting the festival in our neighborhood’s signature park in collaboration with our sponsors and vibrant National Landing businesses and look forward to being part of our region’s storied cherry blossom celebration.”

“Amazon is thrilled to partner with the National Landing BID and the National Cherry Blossom Festival to bring the joy of the cherry blossoms to National Landing,” said Patrick Phillippi, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for Amazon. “Pink in the Park will be one of the largest National Cherry Blossom Festival events ever in Virginia and we are excited to celebrate spring with our community.”

WHEN: Saturday, April 1

• Pink in the Pool from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Pink in the Park from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center; 333 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington, Virginia

HOW: FREE festival tickets and pool passes are available at NationalLanding.org/Pink. Tickets are required.

Guided Forest Bathing Walks
Saturday, April 1, 2023, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Friday, April 21, 2023, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

​Slow down, awaken your senses, and connect with nature as you experience a forest bathing walk in Hillwood’s gardens and grounds.

www.HillwoodMuseum.org 

4155 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Cherokee Days Festival 

Friday–Sunday, March 31–April 2, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. 

The three federally recognized Cherokee tribes—Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—showcase the shared history and cultural lifeways of the Cherokee through storytelling, traditional flute music, weaponry, woodcarving, beadwork, traditional games, basket weaving, pottery demonstrations and music and dance performances.

Eastern Market’s North Hall is located at 225 7^th Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003.  North Hall is accessed from the south via the indoor food stalls or from the north at North Carolina Avenue SE.  Eastern Market is located a block from Metro.

Co-located, Offsite Art Book Fair Programming
Saturday, April 1 Art Book Fair Programs at CHAW
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop | 545 7th Street SE, Washington DC, 20003 (Three blocks south from Eastern Market)

• 2023 Capital Art Book Fair Exhibitor Panel Discussion | Presented by Paper Cuts | Saturday, April 1 from 11am-12pm
• Capitol Hill Art League Exhibition Open Juried Exhibition Reception| Saturday, April 1 from 5:30-7pm

Sunday, April 2 Art Book Fair Programs at Hill Center (Three blocks east from Eastern Market)
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20003

• Free Workshop | Children’s Painting with Buck Herring|Sunday, April 2 from 3-5pm
• Exhibition: Hill Center DC Regional Exhibition Juried by Nehemiah Dixon III | See works from over 105 Artists from DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia | Sunday, April 2 from 10am-5pm

Eastern Market’s North Hall is located at 225 7^th Street SE, Washington, DC, 20003.  North Hall is accessed from the south via the indoor food stalls or from the north at North Carolina Avenue SE.  Eastern Market is located a block from Metro.

Co-located, Offsite Art Book Fair Programming

Sunday, April 2 Art Book Fair Programs at Hill Center (Three blocks east from Eastern Market)
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC, 20003

• Free Workshop | Children’s Painting with Buck Herring|Sunday, April 2 from 3-5pm
• Exhibition: Hill Center DC Regional Exhibition Juried by Nehemiah Dixon III | See works from over 105 Artists from DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia | Sunday, April 2 from 10am-5pm

Cherokee Days Festival 

Friday–Sunday, March 31–April 2, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. 

The three federally recognized Cherokee tribes—Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians—showcase the shared history and cultural lifeways of the Cherokee through storytelling, traditional flute music, weaponry, woodcarving, beadwork, traditional games, basket weaving, pottery demonstrations and music and dance performances.

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Oxon Run Pinknic & Kite Fly

Oxon Run Park

12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/event/oxon-run-pinknic-kite-fly/

The annual Oxon Run Pinknic & Kite Fly celebrates the Ward 8 community with free food, kite kits, art, music, and fun kid activities as the Festival continues beyond the Tidal Basin.

Visual and Interview Opportunities:

• Families participating in Oxon Run Pinknic and kite flying activities.
• Performances by Elyscia and The JoGo Project.

Featured parks in all eight wards, Maryland, and Virginia, will also offer free activities and kites for local residents. For a full list of regional parks participating, click here.

The Yards is celebrating spring by making your cherry blossom dreams come true at The Yards Cherry Blossom Bash!

Plant yourself with your best buds at unique pop-ups and interactive experiences all around The Yards, including watercoloring, Japanese whiskey tasting, rosé tasting, lambrusco tasting, and ice cream sundae making. The party will center around The Sundeck where a DJ will play lively music while you try your hand at origami and enjoy the pinkest giveaways. Silver Mirror Facial Bar will also pop up with onsite mini-facials and spring skincare giveaways!

Pop-Up Workshops and Locations:

• Rosé Tasting at District Winery (21+)
• Japanese Whiskey Tasting at Trouble Bird (21+)
• Lambrusco Tasting at Osteria Morini (21+)
• Cherry Blossom Watercolor Class at Steadfast Supply (18+)
• Sundae Making at Ice Cream Jubilee (All ages)
• Silver Mirror Mini-Facials Pop Up on The Yards Sundeck (18+)

All workshops will run concurrently, please reserve tickets for one experience. Registration not required for origami on The Sundeck.

Experiences are complimentary. A refundable ticket fee of $20 will be charged upon reservation and refunded upon onsite check-in. Failure to check in will result in forfeiting of the ticket fee. Refunds for cancellation will be available until 10am on April 5.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 | 5:30-8:30pm

WHERE: Yards Park | 355 Water Street SE | Washington, DC 20003. Directions can be found here. The Yards is metro accessible via the Navy Yard Metro on the Green line and Capitol South Metro on the Orange/Blue line. Parking is also available on The Yards’ surface parking lots.

On Saturday, April 8, from 1-9 p.m., Petalpalooza, presented by Chase, will take place at D.C.’s Capitol Riverfront neighborhood. Petalpalooza attendees can enjoy musical performances, partake in family-friendly and pet-friendly activities, an array of cuisine from local eateries, roaming entertainment, and more—all along the banks of the Anacostia River.

“This free, day-long, all-ages celebration brings art, music, and play to multiple outdoor stages,” said Diana Mayhew, president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. “Take advantage of more than 40,000 square feet of art, food and fun throughout the neighborhood.”

Petalpalooza attendees are invited to sip the Official Festival 2023 signature cocktail at the House of Suntory Yatai, embrace their blossom bliss in the hammock grove, pamper their furry friends at Paws and Petals Pet Comfort station presented by Mars Petcare, put some spring in their swing with the golf simulator sponsored by Chase at Tingey Plaza while jamming out to Go-Go Gadjet, White Ford Bronco, and the Jarreau Williams Experience (JWX) among more than 15 free performances across three stages.

The Festival event concludes with a fantastic finish to the evening with a stunning choreographed fireworks display over the Anacostia River starting at 8:30 p.m. against while the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge (FDMB) is lit up in pink.

“This is our fifth year partnering with the National Cherry Blossom Festival and we couldn’t be more excited to support the Festival’s efforts to bring all of these wonderful activities to the Washington, DC community for free,” said Alfonso Guzman, Mid-Atlantic regional director for Chase. “We hope families and friends come out, enjoy the beauty this season provides and make a lot of beautiful memories to carry them through the rest of the year and well beyond.”

Attendees can also view the FDMB through the ARTECHOUSE app anytime from now through the end of the Festival to extend their reality with a blossoming experience on both sides of the Anacostia River. The XR installation is provided by ARTECHOUSE DC as part of Art in Bloom presented by Amazon.

The Festival invites all participants to tag their Petalpalooza experiences on social media with the hashtag #Petalpalooza.

Public transit is strongly recommended for Petalpalooza. The event is easily accessible by Metrobus, DC Circulator’s Blue Route, Metro’s Green line to Navy Yard-Ballpark, or Orange & Blue lines to Capitol South. The Capitol Riverfront also offers eight Capital Bikeshare stations. The fireworks display may be viewed from all locations within the event. In the event of rain, Petalpalooza will be held on April 9 from 5–9 p.m.

Chase presents Petalpalooza with support by LaCroix Sparkling Water, Brookfield Properties, Mars, Inc., Mars Petcare, City Cruises, Corner Water, Mars Arts DC in partnership with Washington Performing Arts, Bet MGM, New Jersey Tourism, Dunkin’, Beam Suntory, Kirin, Shake Shack. Media Sponsors: iHeart Media, Orange Barrel Media, OUTFRONT Media. Special thanks: Metro, DC Circulator, and Capital Bikeshare.