In D.C.’s version of Groundhog Day, the National Park Service released its much-anticipated peak bloom prediction Monday. The Park Service’s horticulturalists estimate 70% of the Tidal Basin’s Yoshino cherry trees will be in blossom between April 2 and April 5 this year. Their prediction is based on winter temperatures, March forecasts, and the current status of the trees.

Barring any major unexpected weather events, peak bloom will fall right in the middle of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival, which will run from March 20 through April 11.

This year’s festival will involve a mix of in-person and virtual events due to ongoing COVID-19 safety concerns. “This year it will not be safe for thousands of people to gather, as we have in years past,” John Falcicchio, D.C.’s Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, said at a press conference Monday.

The festival’s organizers have set up a number of virtual and socially-distanced events in lieu of some of its traditional celebrations, including a virtual pet parade on April 3 and a virtual 10-mile run. Actress Drew Barrymore and ABC7’s Alison Starling will co-host “The National Cherry Blossom Festival Celebration Show,” a nationally syndicated “variety entertainment show” featuring performances and special appearances.

The National Park Service will also re-launch its popular Bloomcam. During last year’s peak bloom, the webcam was viewed more than 750,000 times by people in more than 160 countries.

Cherry blossom fans looking to celebrate in-person can seek out 25 new blossom-inspired art sculptures made by local artists, which will go up across the city’s eight wards. More than 170 restaurants across the Washington region will offer cherry blossom-themed food and drink specials, called “Cherry Picks.”

D.C. government and tourism officials are hoping to strike a balance between keeping residents safe and pulling in some much-needed revenue from blossom tourists. About 1.5 million tourists typically come to D.C. during the cherry blossom festival. While many seasoned Washingtonians gripe about the crowds, these tourists pack a major economic impact for the city, according to Elliott Ferguson, the president and CEO of Destination DC. “That clearly has been compromised, as everything has come to a halt,” Ferguson said at Monday’s press conference. “The National Cherry Blossom Festival, for us, is the key to helping bring visitors back to the city.”

From mid-March to December 2020, visitor spending in the District plummeted 71% — about $4.9 billion, according to Tourism Economics. D.C. lost an estimated $375 million in tax revenue.

Last year’s cherry blossoms reached peak bloom in early March — the third-earliest date on record. Persistent crowds at the Tidal Basin raised concerns in the early days of the pandemic last March. Officials canceled the Cherry Blossom Festival entirely, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser eventually limited access to the area to keep people from gathering there.

This post has been updated with additional information about the 2020 cherry blossom season.