VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The Cherry blossoms in Washington D.C. are a popular destination each spring — but did you know we have some right here in Southeast Virginia?
Nestled just off General Booth Boulevard in Virginia Beach, the 97 acre Red Wing Park features recreational areas, walking trails and each spring — a colorful bloop of petals.
Drone 10 captured the beauty of the scenery.
The Cherry blossoms in Red Wing Park were a gift from the Virginia Beach’s International Sister City, Miyazaki, Japan in 2005.
The beauty of the cherry blossom is a symbol with rich meaning in Japanese culture. Typically blooming in late March or early April, the blossoms bring a large crowd each spring to the park.
Cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, and a rainy, windy day can bring an abrupt end to the ephemeral blossoms. A late frost can prevent the trees from blooming at all.
While we were at Red Wing Park, we captured Mizuki Hamada playing the Koto, which is a Japanese traditional Zither in the Azumaya at Red Wing Park on Friday, March 22. Her music is the background for our story.
Listen to her playing her music in this next video:
The Cherry Blossom Festival at Red Wing Park is canceled for March 23-24 due to heavy rain and wind. The festival will continue as planned from March 25-30. For more on schedules and a list of events, click here.