WASHINGTON — The official start of Spring is on March 19, but people in the D.C. area are already buzzing about cherry blossoms.
Organizers of the National Cherry Blossom Festival announced their plans for the festival this year, and the National Park Service is forecasting when the cherry blossom trees will be in peak bloom.
However, concerns about the coronavirus outbreak in other parts of the world could have an impact on attendance.
The Cherry Blossom Festival draws more than 1.5 million people over a four-week period to experience a wide range of events that all centered around cherry blossom trees.
"It's really Washington’s grandest springtime tradition," Mike Litterst, with the NPS, said.
Litterst told WUSA9 the park service is doing what it can to prepare in case there is a coronavirus crisis in D.C.
"We are keeping an eye on the situation. There are U.S. public health service officials assigned to the National Park Service. We're talking with them.We're talking with the CDC," Litterst explained. "In the event it becomes an issue, we'll be prepared to react."
While there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the District, Maryland, or Virginia, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser fears tourism might take a hit for the festival.
"The cherry blossom festival is primarily attended by people in this region," Bowser said during a Tuesday press conference. "We understand there may be some sponsors who have reconsidered travel."
Festival organizers told WUSA9 two Japanese high school music groups have canceled plans to travel, but there are no other cancellations.