Events/Causes
March 27, 2015
Cherry Blossoms in Washington, photographed by Ritz-Carlton
By Nancy Buckley
The annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington celebrates a gift from Japan to the United States more than 100 years ago and serves as the unofficial start of spring in the region.
{"ct":"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","iv":"73e2e764d0be2372e2fdab6cdaf28729","s":"67d23920e00d5a8c"}
Share your thoughts. Click here