National Cherry Blossom Festival kickoff event

by | Mar 1, 2018

Karen Cucurullo, interim superintendent at National Park Service, reveals the expected date of the cherry blossom bloom. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)National Cherry Blossom Festival staff members take selfies onstage after the press conference. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)Muriel Bower, mayor of the District of Columbia, addresses attendees at the Newseum press conference Thursday. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)Cups adorned with artwork by Maggie O'Neill, the festival's official artist, were given away to attendees. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)The Goodwill Ambassadors from National Cherry Blossom Festival hold cups to give away to attendees. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)Interns from The Japan-America Society of Washington DC pose onstage after the press conference. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)Takehiro Shimada, minister of communications and cultural affairs, holds up a Japanese treat in the shape of a cherry blossom. Attendees received it in a goody bag. (Rhytha Zahid Hejaze/MNS)