by MONICA BHIDE
CITY GUIDE
Washington, D.C.
than 90 other events. The parade and Sakura
Matsuri Japanese street festival is April 12.
As the only hotel in the nation’s capital
overlooking the Tidal Basin and cherry blossom trees, Mandarin Oriental, Washington,
D.C., celebrates this floral frenzy with the
Cherry Blossoms Bloom overnight accommodation package. It includes rooms, valet
parking, a trio of cherry treats—including a
homemade cherry dessert from the hotel’s
Dougplasstr Wy a dr enpeartment, gummy cherries and cher-ry-flavored chocolates—and breakfast for two
in Café MoZU. And you can indulge your spirit
with the Cherry Blossom Bliss spa journey,
which is designed to exfoliate and soothe the
skin after the harsh winter weather with a
cherry sugar scrub hydrating body wrap.
March 29–April 13. nationalcherryblossom
festival.org or mandarinoriental.com.
In Bloom
Time again for the National
Cherry Blossom Festival
Washington, D.C.’s, signature springtime
event celebrates the 96th anniversary of the
original gift of 3,000 cherry trees from the
people of Tokyo. Luscious light pink and
white blooms line the Tidal Basin around
the Jefferson Memorial during the two-week
celebration, which includes the Smithsonian
Kite Festival, a fireworks display and more
Will Power
The Folger Reading Room is open
to the general
public one day a
year during the Folger Shakespeare
Library’s annual
celebration of the
Bard’s birthday.
The open house invites visitors to enjoy stage combat
workshops, tours
and treasure hunts,
jugglers, jesters,
music, song and
dance—plus, of
course, enough
birthday cake for
all. A cake-cutting
ceremony in honor
of Shakespeare,
presided over by
“Queen Elizabeth
I,” takes place on
the front lawn,
and free children’s
activities include
Shakespearean
fortunetelling,
quill pen writing,
brooch making,
ivy garland making and other
Elizabethan crafts.
ave
Date
the
CAPI TOL HILL
Joshua Bell
and Jeremy
Denk
March 3
Prepare to be enchanted
by the joyous, classical music of the violin
master Joshua Bell.
kennedy-center.org
CONSTI TUTION AVENUE
37th Annual
St. Patrick’s Day
Parade
March 16
This annual celebra-
tion brings Irish music,
culture and dancers to
Constitution Avenue.
dcstpatsparade.com
WHITE HOUSE
Annual White
House Easter
Egg Roll
March 24
This tradition of
rolling Easter eggs on
the White House lawn
dates back to 1878.
Tickets required.
whitehouse.gov
NATIONAL MALL
42nd Annual
Smithsonian
Kite Festival
March 29
Wanna fly one, too?
Learn about kite
history and kite flying
and participate in kite-
making activities.
kitefestival.org
NATIONAL MALL
Edo Masters
from the Price
Collection at the
Smithsonian
Through April 13
The Arthur M. Sackler
Gallery features 109
paintings from the
Japanese Edo period in
screen, hanging scroll
and fan formats.
asia.si.edu
