Brace Yourself for Cherry Blossom Crowds

The National Cherry Blossom Festival formally kicks off tomorrow, with all that the first weekend of the celebration entails.

On Saturday, there's the Opening Day ceremony and Family Day event at the National Building Museum, plus the ever-popular Smithsonian Kite Festival at the Washington Monument.

On Sunday, the Lantern Lighting Ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Tidal Basin.

The one thing agoraphobic cherry blossom lovers will have going for them this weekend is that the weather forecast isn't shaping up to be especially nice. Festival organizers may be predicting a more crowded event than ever before, but you could do well to try to get down to the Mall while it's a little chillier and soggier than your average tourist is likely to brave.

Metro will operate on a special schedule to accommodate crowds during the entire festival, adding additional eight-car trains weekdays and weekends.