Braxton Baker
4/6/14
SOC 101
Observational Notes

Cherry Blossom Festival

Time Long

4/14 -> 12:00-3:00

Notes

Clothing -- jeans, shorts, sweatpants, sunglasses, hat, dress, suit, camera, sneaker, handbags (it’s a warm spring and bright sunny day)
Walk slowly, wandering, running around, stopping and going. Marching, hiking. I seen many people roaming around and watch what other people do.
Some groups focus on taking pictures of the cherry blossom when other people were sight seeing of famous places
Every 10 sec cars drive by – Most of them had 2 or more folks
Family w/ small kids –little kids playing with kites, dad throws football to son, and family would play Frisbee catch, and play fetch with their dogs.
Family spreads out blanket for picnic, or just lay out, enjoying the sun, sleeping, cuddling, and reading.
Teens in cars look bored, staring at their phones, or just looking out the windows
Most people wore shorts because of the environment; it was a beautiful warm day
Kids running around with the kites to make it fly higher
A group of cheer kids making a pyramid
The only animals there were dogs
Older man chasing and older woman and loses
The trees had several of colors
A circus group doing the hand stands
There were more than 15 kites in the sky at once
Children were running around the Washington Monument, tagging each other.
Fences were set up around the Washington Monument, due to earthquake. (Making sure its 100% safe before taking the fences down but I heard they were going to make it a museum)
Some people were dancing so I assumed there was live music playing somewhere
Different food trucks were advertising their products
Cherry blossom were falling due to it being a little windy
Everyone respectfully minded their own business and didn’t cause trouble for others.

Cherry Blossom Festival
The purpose of this observation assignment was to investigate and interpret the different types of interactions between the individuals and groups present, as well as the environment in which these interactions take place. Every spring, I look back on my life memories; I relive how my entire family on my mother’s side always goes shopping at producer-only farmers market near the festival. This area I'm attending to is completely different than any festivals & it has a lot of history that I haven't researched on yet. It begins on the 14th night of April 2014; standing outside, it was warm and unusually bright. Unexpectedly, I am distracted by this awful scent & I couldn't identity what it was, praying to a God that can allow this smell. I had no choice but to abandoned the area. I quickly took my navy blue 2006 civic to the Tidal Basin that is beyond the Gallaudet University area.
When I arrived the area was mysteriously loud rather than normal. And I know I shouldn't sit here typing with my back to the car door when I have so carelessly left it wide open in such a notoriously dangerous neighborhood that we call Washington D.C but I'm tired, and bored and I just can't be bothered to get up and close the door. As I look out, I can see the festival is set out with an interesting towering design, 3-D like shape building, which is the Tomas Jefferson Memorial. The spot of the architecture was phenomenal and Circular walking path, enables you to walk in a full circle around the water, checking out different Cherry Blossom trees in your path gives you a chance to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival tents that were set on the pathway nearby. The festival tents offer different types of food, as well as mementos from the festival for purchase, like t-shirts multitude of activities and cultural events. I choose to sit on a bench between the Ranger station and Sylvan Theater by the Washington Monument. My leading focus was on the people who actually came to the festival area.
I examined two sections of groups. The first group stayed in the field, and the second group walked the circular pathway near the Tidal Basin. Each section had over 3-10+ people. Quickly, I realized that each location has were basically the same but with different interest.
The first group I mention that stayed in the field near the Washington monument was mostly families with two or more children or teens. It did not matter if the couples were gays or lesbians; they still had at least 2 or more children. I assumed most families here was around 20s early and late 30s in age. Moreover, the families who were enjoying themselves in the field had all different type of race. I saw Japanese and Hispanic families communicated verbally, non-stop. I quickly examined them as hearing people. Some families brought blanket spread out, baskets full of sandwiches materials, fruits, & drinks typically water. Also, each other families would have a father/son or father/daughter time for fly kites; play catch with a football, Frisbee, and toys. Most older mans were dressed in business suit with jacket off. When some other would be in casual style in American way, wearing clothes such as jeans, shorts, t-shirts, sweatpants, sneakers, snap-back hats, jackets, and tank top. They were older couples in the early 50s who set down to chat and people watch.
The second group was mostly couples or a group of large friends near Tidal Basin. These folks had handbags, which they open only for their phone or money or other valuable items. The main focus here was on taking pictures of the trees and taking pictures of each other. The cameras were small and always kept in the handbag. The group of friends that passes was Asians and whites with a few Japanese’s. They were all hearing in the age of 14-20s, most females would dresses with flowers on it to represent the cherry blossom. Males would wear sweatpants, t-shirts. Both genders would wear shorts and sunglasses on a hot/bright day. The tents vendors sell many products such as meat, soups, dairy, cupcakes, snack, tea, alcohol, t-shirt, and many more which were a little pricey. I see numerous of energetic people provide samples to attract the people to buy their products. Most of the merchandise were upscale but I believe the products aren't any more expensive than others places I've gone to in DC.
It was so easy to see the different sets of norms that the people showed, depending where you are standing. The families in the first group who was at the field sat out on blankets or you can sit on the grass. They have sandwiches and munchies. The children would run around and multiple kites flying in sky. Teens playing catch with brothers or sisters. They had Frisbee for dogs to fetch or sometimes the families would join in on Frisbee catch. Some of the mans in the suit would get on and off the phone constantly like he has important work-related calls. Some families would stay for 20 minutes and some families would stay for 2 hours. A few couples that sat on blanket were sleeping, cuddling, or reading.
The second group who was on the circular pathway of Tidal Basin would frequently wander up and down brick road. Stopping to see what the vendors has to offer and they would often pause to take pictures standing next to vendors near the water. People with handbags would often be the people who would purchase items such as food or clothing. The rest would just look because their curiosity looks on point. Also, you would see many folks here closely picturing out different cherry blossom along the way.
I felt like I did not fit into this environment because I had my backpack, my laptop out, pencil & papers alone, deaf. However, I did have sweatpants, t-shirt, hat, & sunglasses on as clothing but I felt like I was the only person there who didn’t have a family or partner, I couldn’t speak verbally like every else, I was the only person doing work-related besides the mans in the suits on their fancy blackberry phones. Most of the people was minding their own business and happily, enjoying the time with family and love ones. Moreover, the family pick up after themselves if they saw any litter nearby and no one was having problems or creating unnecessary distractions for others. The Tidal Basin and the Cherry blossom festival gave the folks a glorious day for families and friends to lie down for their daily lives. It was such a beautiful area and wish it was like this everyday of the year. However I can only hope I can take my friends and family there one day.