Ways to enjoy cherry blossoms in D.C.

Each spring, Washington, D.C., gets a lot of buzz for its famed Yoshino cherry blossoms and the monthlong festival that celebrates them. This year, peak bloom will be April 8-12, according to experts at the National Park Service.

That’s when at least 70 percent of the dainty pink and white blossoms will be open on 3,7000 cherry trees lining the capital’s Tidal Basin between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel and north onto the grounds of the Washington Monument.

If you’d like to get some exercise while enjoying the show, the festival features several outdoor activities that will get your blood flowing.

On Thursday, there will be a free outdoor yoga class at Freedom Plaza, 1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. It runs from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and all levels are welcome. All attendees should bring their own mat and a bottle of water, and come dressed for the weather, which is forecast to be in the 40s.

The 20th annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk follows on Friday. It’s a short noncompetitive walk that begins at the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II, located at the intersection of New Jersey Avenue, Louisiana Avenue and D Street. Geared to both the body and soul, it will feature a program before attendees hit the road that will celebrate and teach about the Japanese American spirit of patriotism and perseverance during World War II. Registration begins at 9 a.m. for the 10 a.m. program and 11 a.m. walk.

And on April 8, cyclists can take part in the National Greenscape Corridor Bike Ride. The 11-mile bike ride through downtown D.C. begins at 11:30 a.m. at BicycleSPACE, 2424 18th St., NW, in the city’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. Over the 4½-hour ride, cyclists will explore three landmark green spaces around the nation’s capital: The National Mall, where National Park Service rangers