Jackson Park is blooming for the second straight spring, following two disappointing springs in 2023 and 2024, when the cherry blossoms didn't bloom due to erratic weather.
Judy and her daughter Lauren were visiting Jackson Park from the south suburbs to check out the cherry blossoms.
"After a long, cold winter, it's nice to see delicate blossoms come out," Judy said.
Judy said for her, the blooming of the cherry blossoms signals the start of spring in Chicago. It's also a way for her to connect with her daughter.
"I lived in Japan for five years but I lived in the more northern region, so the cherry blossom season is so short due to the cold, sort of like in Chicago," Lauren said.
Judy (left) and her daughter Lauren (right) pose for a photo in front of Jackson Park's famous cherry blossoms.
Carolina Garibay
According to the Chicago Park District, the cherry blossoms started blooming Friday.
By Monday, the majority of the baby trees near the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry's (MSI) South Portico were in bloom, while on the other side of the Columbia Basin, there were a mix of trees starting to bud, some in bloom and some still waiting to come out.
Carolina Garibay
Each year, the cherry blossoms draw thousands of people to Jackson Park. Patricia Ward with the MSI said the cherry blossoms foster community.
"You see people come from all over the city," she said. "It's a meeting point. It's a gathering point."
The Park District first planted the trees in 2013 to honor to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
Now, Jackson Park is home to about 200 of the famous pink and white cherry blossom trees. The Park District currently identifies the trees being in stage 3-4 of their bloom cycle. Stage 5 is when many flowers start to open, and stage 6 indicates full bloom.
Experts say the best time to see the flowers is now through April 15.
