As the weather warms, cherry blossoms in the Kenwood neighborhood are making their annual appearance and attracting scores of visitors to the streets of Bethesda.
David Barron, president of the Kenwood Citizens Association, said the blossoms began opening at a rapid rate last weekend, and by Wednesday had reached peak bloom.
The roughly 1,200 Yoshino cherry trees extend over the streets of the Kenwood neighborhood, and their blossoms will soon turn from white to pink and shower the area with petals.
The Kenwood Citizens Association works with the county to care for the trees throughout their lifespan, Barron said. The association hires off-duty county police officers to direct traffic and post “No Parking” signs along the streets to make sure traffic keeps moving.
Several thousand visitors stopped by to take a look at the blossoms on Wednesday, Barron said. He expected another strong turnout on Thursday, but is concerned about forecasts of rain on Friday.
If the blossoms survive Friday’s weather, the temperatures near 70 degrees this weekend should attract another healthy crowd, Barron said.
