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The DC Cherry Blossom Festival is in for Some Serious Sakura Action

Spring fever is scheduled to hit much of the East Coast today, as high temperatures in Boston, New York, and Washington, DC are all expected to be like way above normal. That’s a good thing especially for residents of the nation’s capital, as the warmer weather means that it’s almost time to celebrate the arrival of the city’s most famous residents—cherry blossoms. The 100th anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off on March 20 and runs through April 27, but everyone knows only Mother Nature decides when things really get underway.

There’s always predictions and forecasts when it comes to anticipating the peak blooms of the cherry blossom trees, and it sounds like things should arrive a little earlier than usual. That’s not too surprising considering this year’s winter—or lack thereof. National Park Service officials have run the numbers and reviewed the graphs, and they’re thinking the pink and white blossoms will look their best between March 24 and March 31. That doesn’t mean that other dates will leave you disappointed, but they do anticipate that the last week of March will be considered the peak bloom period.

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Washington's Cherry Blossoms Will Be Blooming from March 26 to April 10

The nation’s capital is busy as always, dealing with budgets, politics, and assorted crises. However, at the end of the month, residents, visitors, and even politicians will take some time to stop and smell the roses—or at least the cherry blossoms.

Scientists and horticulturists working for Uncle Sam have tallied the numbers and computed the statistics, and they think they know when the pink and white cherry blossoms are ready to bloom this season in Washington, DC. The big day is supposedly March 29, as this is when the blooms will start looking their best. The time period will continue through April 3, but we all know that Mother Nature can play tricks—so plan accordingly.

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The Top Five Places to See Cherry Blossoms...Other Than Washington DC

Cherry blossoms in Japan.

Spring is here, and a lovely sign of its arrival is the blooming of cherry blossoms all over the world. The most well-known stateside spot to see the pretty pale pink and white flowers is Washington, D.C., which will have its annual Cherry Blossom Festival soon—from March 27 to April 11. But you don't have to battle crowds at the capital to see clusters of pink-flowered trees.

Check out the The Top 5 Cities (Other Than D.C.) Where You See Cherry Blossoms, after the jump!

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Will DC's Cherry Trees Blossom in Time for Their Own Festival?

If the pockets of warmer weather around the country have been infiltrating your neighborhood, you’re probably starting to think about spring. The folks in Washington, DC are thinking the same and already have Mother Nature on speed dial as they try their best to predict when those cherry blossoms will do their thing.

There’s been loads of snow in DC this winter, but despite all the harsh weather, experts are predicting that the cherry trees will be back to put on a show in only a few more weeks. The National Park Service is thinking that things will start on March 31, but the peak blooming should be between April 3 and April 8. That’s pretty good as the official festival is set to run from March 27 through April 11 this year.

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Down Under Gears Up For The Melbourne Cup

It might be fall in States, but spring has just sprung up Down Under and we're ready to get out and play at some of the continent's best seasonal festivals. The biggest event this season is definitely the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. You might wonder that a bunch of horse races grabs the attention of so many Aussies and anyone visiting at the time, but the highlight of the carnival—the Melbourne Cup—is correctly dubbed "the race that stops a nation".

And you don't have to know the slightest thing about horses to get involved. Come next Tuesday afternoon, you won't be able to get service in any shop in Australia as everybody will have their eyes glued to the TV to watch the Melbourne Cup race. Over 100,000 people attend the race in person, and most of them get dressed up either in their best dress or a crazy costume; like at the Kentucky Derby, the most important thing is to have a great hat.

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Forget Cherry Blossoms, Atlanta's Got Dogwoods In Their Festival

We all know that DC is famous for some blooming trees, but it’s not the only one getting in on the spring fun. Atlanta has its own festival devoted to the Dogwood, and this thing has been going strong for the last 73 years. After a scheduling snafu last year, this year’s festival is back in Piedmont Park where it belongs.

The party starts on April 17, runs through the weekend, and best of all, the whole festival is free. Artists from all over the country converge on the city to display their wares and works. The Fine Artist Market is where you can check out sculpture, pottery, and jewelry from up and coming artists—unfortunately bringing some of these things home with you is not free. Constant music on the main stage will keep you going strong.

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Iceland Sings The Blues, This Time In A Festival

If you took advantage of Iceland when it was on sale, then you probably need something to do when you get there. Of course there’s always the blue lagoon, plenty of puffins, and even famous museums. However, if you’re looking for something with a little more local flavor and culture, then you may want to see what’s going on at the Reykjavik Blues Festival.

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Say Sayonara To Stress On International Pillow Fight Day

There’s a lot to be stressed out over lately. The media, including us, can’t stop mentioning that the world’s economy is in the toilet. Pilots are smoking wacky tobaccy while you’re stuck in coach, and the long cold winter can’t end soon enough. If you’re like us, you'll need to relieve all that pent up frustration one way or another, and to do that, there's nothing better than pretending that you're six years old. So forget the adult worries and grab your favorite pillow—ninja turtle pajamas are optional.

On April 4 people from all over the globe will convene in town squares to celebrate International Pillow Fight Day. From Sydney to Stockholm everyone will get a chance to relieve their stress and anxiety by attacking friends and complete strangers.

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DC Wants Cherry Blossoms To Hurry Up and Bloom!

Each Spring, DC's famous pink cherry blossoms reel in more tourists than any other annual event in the Capitol, but they can also cause a major headache for Washington officials: Figuring out just when Spring is going to get here.

The two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival—full of parties, parades, fireworks, and street festivals—is scheduled way in advance, based on officials' best guesstimate of when the cherry trees will be in full bloom. But the cherries don't always comply.

This year's festival is slated for March 28 to April 12, but National Park Service horticulturalists announced this week that the trees are a little more shy than usual, and won't be in peak bloom until April 3. That's not to say you should cancel your late March trip—the cherries should be starting to show by then—but if you're angling for that picturesque postcard view of DC covered in a sea of pink flowers, better wait 'til the second week.

Related Stories:
· Cherry Trees Appear In No Blooming Hurry [Washington Post]
· Naitonal Cherry Blossom Festival [Official Site]
· Washington, DC travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: zachstern]

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Festival Travel: Island Hopping in Sydney in 2009

Sydney strikes another blow in the ongoing battle of Melbourne vs. Sydney, with the pending announcement of the Island Hopping Festival for October 2009.

In a rare move, five of the tiny national park islands around Sydney Harbour will be opened up to the public with various activities based on each. For example, Fort Denison will probably have a French-themed mobile restaurant; on Clark Island, there'll be an Aboriginal-related celebration.

This Island Hopping will be held at the same time as the events like Sculpture by the Sea and the International Food Fair so it will be a great time to be in Sydney. Pity the Ferris wheel will be long gone, or we could've enjoyed a great view at the same time.

Related Stories:
· Festival Goes Island Hopping on the Harbour [SMH]
· Ferris Wheel Travel: Now Sydney Wants One Too [Jaunted]
· Melbourne IS Better Than Sydney [Jaunted]

[Photo: meaden]

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Day Drinking and Springtime Fun in Philly

The Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival starts at noon this Saturday, and promises to bring 50,000 people to the swanky part of Philly for all sorts of fun. Everything from cafes, art, fashion shows, cooking demos and live music are advertised, and Walnut Street will be closed to traffic from 19th to Broad.

Truth be told, though, we're more interested in the plans of local blog The Illadelph than any public concerts:

Some daytime drinking/picnicking in Rittenhouse Square. Just sayin'. Especially when the weather comes through with 75 degrees of gorgeous.

We just hope the fun isn't ruined by an impromtu Stormtrooper invasion of Rittenhouse Square.

Related Stories:
· Rittenhouse Row Philadelphia [Official Site]
· Eating the Illadelph: Rittenhouse Row Spring Fest [The Illadelph]
· Festivals coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Lucius Kwok]