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National Cherry Blossom Festival ParadeWashington, D.C.
For More Information
Web: NationalCherry BlossomFestival.org Email: Contact Us Phone: 610-431-1121 Fax: 610-431-6511 If you're interested in entering your band in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, please request an application from Todd Marcocci at the contact info above.
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The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is one of the centerpiece events of the two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. The parade is a celebration of spring
that draws an estimated 300,000 people to view the lineup of helium balloons, floats, dancers, singers, marching bands and more.
The annual springtime festival commemorates the 1912 gift of Japanese cherry trees from Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki, who gave the trees to Washington in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan. The first Cherry Blossom Festival was held in 1935 and since that time the festival has grown into a major celebration with countless events, culminating with the parade and street festival. For 2012 the National Cherry Blossom Festival is preparing an unprecedented and once-in-a-lifetime celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of the gift of trees. The centennial celebration promises to be filled with creativity and innovation, and the parade will be more spectacular than ever. A trip to Washington, D.C. provides great educational opportunities for marching band students. The 1-mile parade route travels along historic Constitution Avenue, beginning at 7th Street and ending at 17th Street. Along the way it passes the National Archives, the Department of Justice, Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument and the White House. The parade is shown live on WJLA/ABC7 which broadcasts in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and parts of Pennsylvania. The parade is also streamed live on ABC7's web site at TBD.com and is available in the archives for a full month after the parade. In 2012 the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will also be syndicated nationally and will be shown in most of the United States between April 20 and May 10. Check local listings for broadcast dates and times. View the archived video of the 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade The parade accepts marching bands consisting of 90 members or more. Bands are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year with an ultimate deadline of September 15 in the year prior to the parade. 2012 Participating Bands
Acton-Boxborough High School Band, Massachusetts Ballou High School Band, D.C. Brunswick High School Band, Georgia Clarksburg High School Band, Maryland Corning-Painted Post West High School Band, New York Elyria High School Band, Ohio Fairfield High School Band, California Howard University Marching Band, D.C. New Oxford High School Band, Pennsylvania Portsmouth High School Band, Rhode Island Smithfield High School Band, Virginia National Cherry Blossom All Star Band featuring: Clinch County High School Band, Georgia John F. Kennedy Memorial High School Band, New Jersey Knoch High School Band, Pennsylvania Pottsgrove High School Band, Pennsylvania Southern Baptist Education Center Marching Band, Mississippi Ticket Information
• Parade viewing is free and open to the public on Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets.
• Grandstand seating is available for $20 at several prime locations along the parade route. • Ticket information and a group ticket order form is available online at NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org. Related Events
• Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area offers countless educational opportunities for marching bands to explore while in the region for the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. For ideas of
attractions to include on your itinerary, visit www.washington.org.
Future Dates
Saturday, April 14, 2012 - Special Centennial Celebration
Saturday, April 13, 2013 Saturday, April 12, 2014 For More InformationNational Cherry Blossom Festival Parade MultimediaPhoto Slideshow - 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade |