(Reuters) – Thousands of people have gathered along Washington’s tide basin to enjoy the sight of the city’s famous cherry blossom trees in full bloom.
The top of the cherry blossoms is defined as the point where 70 percent of the flowers around the tide basin are open, according to the National Park Service.
The beloved flowering trees were given by Japan in 1912 to the United States as a gift of friendship.
The annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which started over the weekend and runs through April 17, commemorates the gift from the nearly 3,000 trees and celebrates the relationship between the two countries.
The festival includes a parade, fireworks, live music, a Washington Wizards basketball game, art installations, pet- and family-friendly activities, kite flying, food and spirits rehearsals, cultural events and river cruises.
(Written by Mark Porter; edited by Alexandra Hudson)