It rains a lot in Seattle. This is not news, I am sure. But what you may not know is that the flowers bloom really early here. Like late February – early March early. And it is spectacular.
The cherry trees, found at the University of Washington, were a gift from Japan. And we all know how special the cherry blossoms are in Japan! Each year around the end of March the University District holds a Cherry Blossom Festival to coincide with the blooming of the cherry trees.
Unfortunately, with climate change, the blooms have been peaking later and later in the season. In 2023, they are thought to be about 2 weeks off their anticipated bloom date. So, how can you make the most of this special event?
This guide will help you get the most out of this annual event with guidance on how to see these blooms at their peak.
History of the Cherry Trees at the University of Washington
The cherry trees you see throughout the University of Washington were a gift from the Prime Minister of Japan in 1976. It was in commemoration of America’s bicentennial and the long friendship between Washington State and Japan.
The festival is the largest and oldest of its kind in the Northwest and is a reminder to celebrate life.
The trees you see in the University of Washington’s quad were once planted in the Washington Arboretum. They were transplanted to their current site in 1964. These trees are over 90 years old!
Cherry Blossom tree locations
The Cherry Trees are found at different locations across campus. You can download a map on the University of Washington website. The two biggest concentrations of trees being at the Quad and near the fountain.
Bloom Cam
Don’t want to keep heading over to find out that the trees haven’t bloomed yet? They’ve made it easy on you by mounting bloom cams around campus!
Festival activities
The festival runs from March 24 to April 2 (even if the flowers are a little late blooming) and some of the highlights include cherry blossom themed foods from cherry fritters at the Donut Factory to Blossom Hunter Fruited Sour at Ladd and Lass brewery.
A full list of activities and merchandise and the festivals partners check out U District of Seattle.
How to get there
The University of Washington is nestled into the University District (naturally) and there are two stops on the light rail that will get you there from within the city proper. Those stops are the U District stop and the University of Washington stop.
I recommend the University of Washington stop. It gets you right outside the football stadium and there is a pedestrian bridge that connects to the area by the fountain.
The benefit of the U District stop is you can check out some of the cherry blossom themed offerings from the businesses in the U District before heading over to see the blooms themselves.
Concluding Thoughts
Seattle is home to many great festivals, from one of the largest Holi Festivals outside of India, celebrating happiness to the Cherry Blossom Festival in the U District celebrating life, Spring is a great time to visit.
For ideas on things to do during you visit to Seattle, check out these top 7 unique places to visit in and around Seattle.
