Cherry Blossom 2027 Shirts: Festival 100th & 10 Miler Dates

The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs March 20 to April 11, 2027, and the festival describes the 2027 season as its 100th year, a "Century of Celebration" across Washington, DC and the region. The same spring, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile runs Sunday, April 4, 2027, and its 5K runs Saturday, April 3. The race lottery opens at 10 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2026. For a shirt shop in the DC area, or one that sells to school trips and running clubs heading there, it is one of the biggest spring themes of the year. This guide covers the dates, what the race and festival have published, and which names belong to the organizers.

Cherry blossom season 2027 at a glance

Peak bloom itself is not on any calendar yet. The National Park Service forecasts it in late winter, and shops that time designs to "peak bloom week" should wait for that forecast.

The 10 Miler lottery and race fees

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom fills its 10 Mile, 5K and Double Blossom (both races, one each day) by lottery. According to the race:

The 5K moves to a lottery for 2027. Runners can enter as a Lottery Buddy Squad, so a group is accepted or turned down together. Separate registration windows for 100 Mile Club members and two-time lottery losers opened Nov. 2 and close Jan. 5. The team competition opens in late January 2027 and is separate from Lottery Buddy Squads.

What that means for orders: most running clubs and friend groups will not know who got in until after Jan. 5. Expect group shirt orders for the race from mid-January, not December.

The official shirt, and the art contest

Every 5K, 10 Mile and Double Blossom entrant gets a participant shirt. At registration a runner chooses a free cotton tee or pays $20 for an ASICS technical shirt instead, with upgrades open until Feb. 28, 2027. The race picks the shirt artwork through a public design contest. The 2027 contest has closed, and the race says the contest for 2028 artwork will be announced in June 2027. A separate Kids Run shirt design contest for artists 10 and under opens this winter. For local designers and print shops, that contest is the legitimate way onto the official shirt.

Names and marks a shop should know

These come from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's trademark search, checked Nov. 14, 2026:

The race's older clothing registration (Class 25) for CREDIT UNION CHERRY BLOSSOM TEN MILE RUN is no longer live, and no live clothing-class registration turned up for the festival name. That does not make the names free to print. A registration for running events or festivals still lets the owner object to a shirt that looks like official merchandise. The safe approach:

• Fine: cherry blossoms, the Tidal Basin, the Washington Monument silhouette, "DC," "spring," a club name, the year, and the distance ("10 miles," "10M").
• Leave off: the festival name and logo, "Petalpalooza," the parade name, the race's full name or logo, and the credit union sponsor branding. Also skip anything that says "official."

"Cherry blossom" by itself is a common term with hundreds of unrelated registrations, so it is the specific event names that matter, not the flower.

Who orders cherry blossom shirts

• Running clubs and lottery squads. Matching shirts for the 5K, the 10 Mile or the Double Blossom weekend, ordered after the Jan. 5 lottery results.
• School trips. Spring DC trips often line up with bloom season. A capitol or monument silhouette with blossoms, the school name and "2027" covers it. The spring 2027 marathon guide covers other April races that bring group orders.
• Local businesses. Restaurants, hotels and shops near the Tidal Basin and Navy Yard put staff in themed shirts for the season.
• Families and visitors. Pastel tees, sweatshirts for chilly March mornings, and youth sizes.

Printing pink and pastel designs

Pale pinks are where cheap transfers show their weak spots. On white and light shirts, pastels print cleanly with DTF. On dark shirts, the white underbase has to be solid or the pink goes muddy. Ask the transfer supplier for a printed proof of the exact pink before a large order, and keep fine petal outlines at a weight the supplier recommends, because hairline strokes are the first thing to lift. For race shirts on polyester, follow the polyester settings in the DTF temperature and time chart. The turkey trot and 5K race shirt guide covers race shirt layout, sponsor backs and sizing.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2027 Cherry Blossom Festival?

The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs March 20 to April 11, 2027, in Washington, DC and the surrounding region. The festival describes 2027 as its 100th year. Its calendar lists the parade on Saturday, April 10, 2027, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

When does the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler lottery open?

The lottery for the 2027 Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 5K and Double Blossom opens at 10 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2026, and closes at midnight on Jan. 5, 2027. The 10 Mile fee is $67 and the 5K is $47, before processing fees, and cards are charged only if selected.

When is the 2027 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler?

The 10 Mile runs Sunday, April 4, 2027, from the Washington Monument Grounds, with a 7:30 a.m. start and an elite women's start at 7:18 a.m. The 5K and Kids Run are Saturday, April 3, 2027.

Can I print "National Cherry Blossom Festival" on a shirt?

The festival's nonprofit holds federal registrations for the name for event services, and the race holds its own names. A shirt that uses those names or logos can look like official merchandise. Cherry blossom artwork, DC landmarks, the year and a club or school name are a safer choice.

Who designs the official Cherry Blossom 10 Miler shirt?

The race selects its shirt art through a design contest. The 2027 contest has closed, and the race says details for the 2028 contest will be posted in June 2027. A Kids Run shirt contest for artists 10 and under opens this winter.

Where this fits in the DTF Database

The Cherry Blossom 5K falls on the same Saturday as South Carolina's Cooper River Bridge Run, and both races are stops on the PRRO Circuit with Jacksonville's Gate River Run in March. For Easter-weekend race and family orders a week earlier, see the Easter 2027 shirt guide. Shops in the area can find transfer suppliers on the Washington, DC supplier page.