Get ready to blossom in style! The National Cherry Blossom Festival, along with Presenting Sponsor Events DC, invites DC students (grades 5-8) from all eight wards to showcase their creativity in the Blossom Kicks for Kids Program.
This exciting program empowers students to tap into their passion for fashion and design by creating unique cleat designs inspired by the beauty of cherry blossoms and the spirit of international friendship. Don’t miss your chance to step into spring through art and design—one cleat at a time!
The theme this year is “Art of The Game,” which empowers young designers to transform cleats as they portray their connections to cherry blossoms and soccer.
Shoe designs are due on Sunday, March 1 at midnight
Shoe Design Day is on Sunday, March 22 (time and location TBA)
The Blossom Kicks for Kids program is a creative journey that takes DC students from concept to gallery showcase. Here’s how the process unfolds:
DC students (grades 5–8) begin by downloading the official cleat sketch template from the National Cherry Blossom Festival website. This is where their creative vision begins! Note: the student artist must reside in the District of Columbia and be available on Shoe Design Day (March 22).
Students are encouraged to express what the cherry blossom season means to them through art, fashion, and storytelling directly on the template. Once completed, they upload their custom design through the submission portal. Submissions are due on Sunday March 1st, 2026 by midnight.
A panel reviews all submissions and selects standout designs that reflect creativity, originality, and alignment with the annual theme. Note: to be eligible, the student artist must reside in the District of Columbia, be available on Shoe Design Day (March 22), and have a parent or guardian sign the 2026 release form.
Selected students are invited to participate in Shoe Design Day on March 22, 2026, where they bring their vision to life by painting their designs onto real soccer cleats, guided by professional artists.
The finished cleats are displayed in a public display in downtown DC, celebrating the student’s hard work and creative expression as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Blossom Kicks for Kids program is a creative journey that takes DCPS students from concept to gallery showcase. Here’s how the process unfolds:
DCPS middle and high school students (grades 8–12) begin by downloading the official sneaker sketch template from the National Cherry Blossom Festival website. This is where their creative vision begins!
Students are encouraged to express what the cherry blossom season means to them through art, fashion, and storytelling directly on the template. Once completed, they upload their custom design through the submission portal.
A panel reviews all submissions and selects standout designs that reflect creativity, originality, and alignment with the annual theme.
Selected students are invited to participate in Shoe Design Day, where they bring their vision to life by painting their designs onto real Air Force 1 sneakers, guided by professional artists.
The finished sneakers are professionally displayed in an art gallery in downtown Washington, DC, celebrating the students’ hard work and creative expression as part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Blossom Kicks for Kids “District of Blossoms” Showcase, presented by Events DC, highlighted the artistic talent of DCPS middle and high school students (grades 8–12) who participated in the 2025 Blossom Kicks for Kids program. Originally focused on elementary students, the program expanded to engage older students, providing them with the opportunity to design and customize sneakers as a creative expression of their connection to Washington, DC.
Following the program’s Shoe Design Day, students transferred their original concepts onto Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, incorporating the “District of Blossoms” theme, which merges the significance of cherry blossoms with DC’s diverse neighborhoods and culture. The showcase presents their completed designs, offering a visual representation of their artistic interpretations and craftsmanship.
The Blossom Kicks for Kids “District of Blossoms” Showcase, presented by Events DC, highlights the artistic talent of DCPS middle and high school students (grades 8–12) who participated in the 2025 Blossom Kicks for Kids program. Originally focused on elementary students, the program has expanded to engage older students, providing them with the opportunity to design and customize sneakers as a creative expression of their connection to Washington, DC.
Following the program’s Shoe Design Day, students transferred their original concepts onto Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, incorporating the “District of Blossoms” theme, which merges the significance of cherry blossoms with DC’s diverse neighborhoods and culture. The showcase presents their completed designs, offering a visual representation of their artistic interpretations and craftsmanship.
Join National Park Service, DC Arts & Humanities Collaborative, ad Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital in these fun-for-all-ages activities!
Join National Park Service, DC Arts & Humanities Collaborative, ad Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital in these fun-for-all-ages activities!
Become a Bloomin’ Junior Ranger with our friends at the National Park Service! Take a walk around the Tidal Basin with a National Park Service ranger and friends.
Discover additional ways to grow, learn, and connect through National Cherry Blossom Festival youth programs
Developed as a partnership of the Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital and the National Cherry Blossom Festival, this patch program commemorates the gift of the cherry trees and the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan.
Presented by Amazon, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Student Art Showcase enhances creativity, collaboration, and community spirit among K-12 students from DC public, charter, and Japanese schools.
Celebrate the enduring friendship between Japan and the United States by participating in the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Tree Planting Program.
