Saturday, April 8, 10 a.m. to noon; FREE along the Parade route
The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® presented by Events DC will take place Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. One of the Festival’s largest events, the Parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW. The Parade, hosted by ABC-7/WJLA-TV anchors Alison Starling and Jonathan Elias, will feature celebrity entertainment by Jo Dee Messina, helium balloons, characters, floats, marching bands and other performers.
WASH-FM’s Loo Katz and Chilli Amar return as announcers at the Parade’s new West End Experience, which will include special performances. Local ABC affiliate WJLA will air the Parade locally in a delayed telecast from noon to 2 p.m. The Parade will be nationally syndicated to audiences across the country through the support of Events DC.
Celebrity talent and exciting Parade elements include:
98 Degrees member and “Dancing with the Stars” winner Drew Lachey
Grammy nominated country singer Jo Dee Messina
DC-native DJ Kool of the 1996 chart topping single “Let Me Clear My Throat”
Miss America 2017, Savvy Shields
Brian Justin Crum, breakout star from the most recent season of “America’s Got Talent”
Washington Redskins Cheerleaders
Winners of the 2017 Sing Into Spring competition
Gigantic helium balloons, including Mr. Potato Head, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and more
Approximately 80 entities join the festivities, including 900 youth chorus members, 400 all-star dancers, the Ballou High School Marching Band, the Tamagawa University Taiko Drumming and Dance Troupe, and more.
TICKETS & TRANSPORTATION: Free and open to the public. Limited Prime Grandstand seats are on sale now and can be purchased at http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/parade/. The Grandstand section offers reserved seating along Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, NW. Group tickets for 10 or more are also available. Standing along the Parade route is free between 9th and 15th Streets, NW and open to the public.
The event is Metro-accessible via the Archives-Navy Memorial stop on the Yellow/Green lines or Federal Triangle on the Blue/Orange lines. The Parade is presented by Events DC and supported by ANA, Downtown DC Business Improvement District, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), DARCARS – the official vehicle provider for the Parade, Harris Teeter, Japanese National Tourism Organization, MGM National Harbor, Microsoft, NHK World TV, The Express, Johnson’s Florist and Garden Centers, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America Inc, Newseum, University of the District of Columbia, City Sights DC, CSI Printing & Graphics, and media partners ABC7/WJLA-TV, 97.1 WASH-FM, and The Washington Informer.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the nation’s greatest springtime celebration. The 2017 Festival, March 15 – April 16, includes four weeks of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit. Visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org or call 877.44.BLOOM for more information and find us on Facebook (CherryBlossomFestival), Twitter (@CherryBlossFest), and Instagram (@CherryBlossFest).