After a relatively mild winter, cherry blossoms are expected to hit peak bloom in mid-to-late March.
Today the National Park Service predicted 70% of the blossoms along the Tidal Basin will reach their peak between March 23-26, about the same time as last year.
This year’s peak is a few days earlier than historical averages — and getting harder to predict given warmer winters and big temperature changes, the Washington Post reports.
For now, the blossoms are in their budding stage, leaving bloom seekers a few weeks to plan for excursions and events.
For those seeking to avoid the D.C. crowds, there are a number of blossom options here in Arlington.
One notable destination is Arlington National Cemetery, which has cherry trees in a handful of locations on its 624-acre property. Locals can also find clusters of cherry trees at Welburn Square in Ballston, Quincy Park in Virginia Square, Long Bridge Park in Crystal City, in parts of the aptly named Cherrydale, and elsewhere.
As for events, the National Landing Business Improvement District is hosting “Pink in the Park,” a three-weekend series of cherry blossom events featuring live entertainment, food and activities.
The series kicks off Saturday, March 23 with the “Art of Pink,” a pop-up market showcasing local artists and small businesses. It will be held from 1-5 p.m. at Metropolitan Park (1330 S. Fair Street), the public park next to Amazon’s second headquarters.
Next up is a kid-friendly event, “Pink in the Pool,” on April 6 at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center (333 Long Bridge Drive). From 9 a.m. to noon, attendees can enjoy free access to the pool and free snacks, and participate in an origami class, tea tasting and a story time.
The series will finish off with “Pink Beats” on April 16 at the Crystal City Water Park (1601 Crystal Drive), where guests can listen to live music from local acts and sample food from the park’s dozen vendors from 4-9 p.m.
Arlington’s local radio station has been playing the same music on repeat since December.
The continuous lo-fi beats, noted by listeners more than a month ago, are a result of aging equipment and financing delays complicating Arlington Independent Media‘s move into a new office building that is home to a transmitter critical to AIM’s operations.
The nonprofit community media outlet — which has TV and radio programming and offers media training courses — is mid-way through its move from its Clarendon outpost at the corner of N. Danville Street and Wilson Blvd, behind the Beyond Hello dispensary, to a new location at 2300 Clarendon Blvd.
Staff packed up and stored all AIM’s non-technical equipment in its new Green Valley outpost while its TV and radio broadcasting equipment sits in the lobby, awaiting contractors who can rewire it in 2300 Clarendon Blvd, a new space dubbed AIM Live!
It is a point of consternation for Alvin Jones, the station manager for the community media outlet’s radio station, WERA 96.7 FM.
“It’s been frustrating,” he told ARLnow. “I don’t get to hear, when I’m in my car, the great programming 50 producers are putting out.”
Still going strong! @RadioArlington same 1 hour show for 2 months!!! https://t.co/UVu2FrRC6S
— SRtwofourfour (@SRtwofourfour) January 24, 2024
Former radio show producer Bennett Kobb says he has noticed the same music playing since Dec. 1, 2023. The beats are intended as a backup when interruptions arise, whether that is due to a power outage, a delayed DJ or problems with a station computer, he said.
“It is not permitted to broadcast ‘dead air’ for any significant length of time, that is, a radio signal with no content and no station identification,” he said. “Many radio stations have such arrangements in place… But this was never intended to go on for weeks as it has.”
As of Jan. 12, he had not heard of any communications to the public explaining what was going on. AIM did ultimately provide an update that listeners should expect the radio to go silent on Jan. 20, followed by TV on Jan. 24, as a result of the move. The post noted listeners “will continue to hear music through our transmitter on WERA 96.7 FM.”
The reason for the prolonged continuous loop is because the equipment that relayed microwave signals from AIM’s Clarendon location to the transmitter at 2300 Clarendon Blvd went down, says Jones. AIM will not need this equipment once it is set up in the same building as the transmitter. Jones likened fixing it before the move to upgrading the tires on a car just before trading it in for a new vehicle.
AIM originally had until Dec. 31, 2023, to move out but now predicts that full move-out will happen next week. The delays come down to finances, according to Jones and AIM CEO Whytni Kernodle.
They say they are waiting for Arlington County to approve the rest of a funding request from November for Public, Educational and Government (PEG) funds — subscription revenue that the county receives from franchise agreements with Comcast and Verizon.
These funds only cover capital expenses, which include hiring contractors to take down and rewire equipment.