Cherry Blossom Kite Festival and Spring Picnic

As we get ready to welcome the beautiful season of spring, we look forward to enjoying the gorgeous weather and changing leaves, beginning with our outdoor picnic on the National Mall, where the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off with the Kite Festival.

Spring picnic

After, what seems like a long cold winter, lets enjoy the beginning of spring, with our annual spring celebration and get-together of our social community and new members that have joined us in the last few months.

Cherry Blossom Kite Festival and Spring Picnic

One of the biggest highlights of spring in DC is the blooming of more than 3000 cherry blossom trees and the colorful display of kites that grace the blue sky over the National Mall, combined with the vibrant and joyful people that gather on the mall to enjoy the start of the beautiful season of spring and participate in the nation’s greatest springtime celebration.

Spring Celebration Picnic

This year, we will be starting our spring celebration and outdoor events with our picnic on the National Mall. So bring your picnic blanket, your kite if you have one, your favorite snacks, invite your friends, and join us for an early afternoon celebration of spring in DC.

Grapes & Grains picnic

Meeting Place

We will meet at the base of the Washington Monument, facing the Lincoln Memorial at 11:00 am and then find a picnic spot somewhere between the monument and the 17th street.

For those joining later, please follow the comments posted on our Event Message Board to find the group.

Blossom Kite Festival

The annual Blossom Kite Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers from across the US and other countries through a variety of competitions and demonstrations.

Cherry Blossom Kite Festival

Popular kite battles and competitions are the Rokkaku Battles and the Hot Tricks Showdown.

The Rokkaku (pronounced roke-cock-coo) is a traditional six-sided Japanese fighter kite, that is traditionally, made with bamboo spars and washi (fiber) paper. Fighting two or more of these kites involves tipping over or destabilizing the opposing kite or cutting its kite line or bridle.

The hot tricks showdown is a competition in which multi-line kite fliers engage in a series of one-on-one competitions and maneuver their sport-kites in amazing flight patterns.

Brief Schedule

Kick-Off Parade 10:00 AM

Adult Kite Makers Competition 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Demonstrations 12:30 – 1:30 PM

Hot Tricks Showdown 1:30 – 2:30 PM

Rokkaku Battle 2:45 – 3:30 PM

Getting There

The easiest way to reach our meeting point which is the Washington Monument is by taking either the Smithsonian Metro or Federal Triangle, both on the Blue/Orange/Silver lines.

While the Federal Triangle stop is technically closer, at 12th and Pennsylvania Ave NW, the Smithsonian stop is the easiest – it’s a straight walk down the Mall.

We will meet at the Monument, on the side facing the Lincoln Memorial.

Event Message Board

Important messages related to the event are highlighted, so participants can catch the latest updates about the event. Please note, on the day, of the event we will post our location using the Message Board, so those arriving after 11:00 am can find the group.

Event Details

Event: Cherry Blossom Kite Festival and Spring Picnic

Description: Spring celebration with the Cherry Blossom Kite Festival and picnic on the National Mall.

Date/Time: Saturday March 31st, 2018 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Admission: Free for Grapes & Grains members and our blog subscribers

Meeting Place

11:00 am - Washington Monument

2 15th St. NW Washington, DC 20024

Would you like to be notified of our spring events and when we post new articles ?

Article Category: Events