Cherry Blossom Festival to charge an admission fee for the first time

If you can stand the crowds, you can still see the cherry blossoms. 

But you can't just waltz down to Pennsylvania Ave to the National Cherry Blossom Festival.  For the first time, the Festival will be charging patrons to attend.  The Washington Post reports the Festival will cost $5.

How are they going to keep you off a major thoroughfare?  By erecting a 6-foot high fence to line the street.

The event usually draws about 150,000 people (if they all still go, that's $750,000) and costs about $300,000 to put on.  But part of the point of the admission fee is to reduce the crowd and make it more manageable.

Of course, you'll still have to pay for food, too.  The Festival will take place on April 9th.