WASHINGTON – Officials in the nation's capital are watching the crowds as cherry blossom season begins in earnest.
The distinctive white and pink petals reached full bloom last Sunday, about a week earlier than expected. It's an event that normally brings in thousands of visitors and signals the unofficial start of D.C.'s peak tourist and convention season.
But Washington remains largely locked down with limitations on outdoor gatherings and Smithsonian museums and galleries and its National Zoo shuttered. “We’re starting to open slowly,” said Cherry Blossom Festival President Diana Mayhew. “We really hope that people are being smart.