The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade®
SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2010 at 10 AM
We invite you to attend one of Washington's most exciting traditions -- the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® on Saturday, April 10 from 10am – noon, rain or shine. The Parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW, and will be featured in a live simulcast on ABC 7/ WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8. Giant colorful balloons, marching bands, and performers will burst down Constitution Avenue in an energy-filled spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Bands, floats, celebrities and so much more! Hosts for the Parade are ABC 7 and NewsChannel 8 anchors Doug McKelway, Alison Starling and Natasha Barrett. 97.1 WASH-FM’s Loo Katz and Lori Brooks will be on hand as
grandstand announcers.
ENTERTAINMENT: A spectacle of stars greets the 100,000-plus spectators who gather for the largest event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Entertainers include a cast of three from Ford's Theatre's production of "Little Shop of Horrors" featuring Audrey, Jr., the Venus flytrap. "Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies" from Arena Stage stars Broadway legend Maurice
Hines and presents the big-band sounds from the Roaring Twenties to the Swing Era. American Idol finalist Justin Gaurini and R&B vocalist Deborah Cox both sing. The family band Shae Laurel presents Irish fast fiddling and contemporary music that has thrilled audiences around the world. Direct from Virginia is 2010 Miss America Carissa Cameron, whose musical talents helped secure her crown.
Giant balloons include Kermit the Frog, Elmo, cherry blossoms, and Japanese lanterns. Rounding out the entertainment, the Youth Choir and All-Star Tap Team showcase the talent of approximately 750 and 350 youths from around the country, respectively. Marching bands keep the beat and excite the crowd, including local favorites Robert R. Gray Elementary School from Prince George’s County and DC’s Ballou High School. Additional bands bring their sounds from far and wide, including The Legends Community Marching Band from the Bahamas. The Tamagawa University Drummers from Tokyo play percussion, and Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko performs Taiko drumming.
The Festival has once again teamed up for a special offer with Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. The wax museum is offering $5.00 admission (a $15.00 savings) to all grandstand seating ticket holders who present their ticket stub through May 15, 2010. Madame Tussauds Washington D.C. is prominently located on the corner of 10th and F streets, NW.
The Parade is made possible by the National Park Service, Washington Convention and Sports Authority, ABC 7/ WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8, and supported by segment sponsor State Farm, The Washington Examiner, Safeway, 97.1 WASH FM, the D.C. Government’s D.C. Emancipation Day Fund, Comcast, McDonald’s, Amtrak, Washington Regional Transplant, CBS Outdoor, the Newseum, Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., Post Apartment Homes, and the National Museum of Crime & Punishment.
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Arthur enjoys the beautiful spring day with the crowd in front of the National Archives as he makes his way along the Parade route.
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TICKETS: Prime viewing grandstand seats are now on sale (click here for more information); standing elsewhere along the Parade route (Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets, NW) is free and open to the public.
TRANSPORTATION: Take Metro to Navy Memorial on the Yellow/Green lines or Federal Triangle on the Blue/Orange lines.
Want to Learn More?
Visit: Parade Frequently Asked Questions.
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