WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Maryland’s Joshua Rochea was back at the National Cherry Blossom Festival over the weekend. He brought his young children with him for the first time.
“To enjoy the cherry blossoms, to enjoy mingling with people,” Rochea said. “It’s a nice weather day — unlike last Friday when it was so cold,
D.C.’s Gupta family also made a return visit. They said that it’s something they look forward to every year.
“We just love the blossoms. It’s only once a year, so it’s very special for us,” said Rani Gupta. “Before they (her children) go, we wanted to get a quick glimpse, so thank you.”
A massive crowd gathered at the eastern end of the Tidal Basin to look at the sea of pink that lines the area, but getting to this point was a challenge.
An endless sea of cars crawled along Independence Avenue as people slowly made their way to visit the blossoms. The National Park Service closed off a portion of Ohio Drive, making the wait even longer.
“Why not sit in a bunch of traffic on a Sunday afternoon and see some beautiful trees with some pink flowers and have some fun in the sun,” said Abigail Schwendeman of New Jersey.
Others found ways to beat the traffic.
“We drove on G.W. Parkway, parked in Virginia, and walked all the way here across the Memorial Bridge,” Rochea said.
Despite the long wait in traffic, many were still positive.
“My freckles are coming out,” said New Jersey’s Christine Marquet. “The sun’s great for my freckles.”
The sun was also great for other visitors and — maybe most importantly — for keeping the cherry blossoms pretty in pink.