Cherry blossoms near the Washington Monument near sunset in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 12, 2014. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossoms near the Washington Monument near sunset in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, April 12, 2014. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossoms line the path along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 2014. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossoms and visitors line the Tidal Basin near sunset on April 12, 2014, in Washington, D.C. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry blossom season 2014 at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Darkness settles over the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
Tourists are cast in shadows under the Cherry Blossom trees as the sun sets on Saturday, April 12, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
The white flower of the cherry blossom trees are highlighted against a darkening sky as night sets on April 12, 2014, in Washington, D.C. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
The Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial are partially hidden by the Cherry Blossoms on Saturday, April 12, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
Cherry Blossoms are hard to spot against the lit-up Jefferson Memorial on Saturday night, April 12, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
The rainy night on April 12, 2014, cast a red glow on the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
A partial moon is seen between the branches of the Cherry Blossom tree in early evening on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
Pink and white cherry blossoms are a stark contrast against the blue sky near the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. on April 9, 2014. (Meredith Tibbetts/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A long winter couldn't keep the cherry blossoms from glorious full bloom around the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., this week, nor the annual large crowds that flock to see them.
Despite rain and wind during some of the peak week, tourists arrived in droves to smile under the pink and white flowers near the capital's storied monuments.
The cherry blossom celebration has been a Washington tradition for more than 100 years, according to the National Park Service. The trees were a gift from Japan in 1912. There are approximately 3,800 trees across the National Mall. Of those, 70 percent are Yoshino cherry trees, according to the park service.
Enjoy this collection of photos and video from three Stars and Stripes photographers.
Read more at the National Park Service's website.
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