Early Cherry Blossom Festival

Title: Early Cherry Blossom Festival
Date: 4/19/1934
Description: As soon as the Japanese cherry trees were planted, Washingtonians and tourists enjoyed the blossoms every spring. Although there were cherry blossom fetes in the 1920s, they were mostly held in Hains Point. The first Cherry Blossom Festival, which was intended to be the start of an annual tradition, took place in the spring of 1934. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and a delegation from the Japanese embassy led the sunrise ceremony that opened the event. The Festival included a parade, a ball, fireworks, and a performance of the Mikado, an English operetta set in Japan, at the Sylvan Theatre.
Source: "Full Program is Announced," The Washington Post, April 4, 1934.
Coverage: 1920-1949
Event Type: Cultural Gathering