National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade 2012

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is one of Washington, DC’s largest public events of the year, drawing about 100,000 spectators from around the world. The parade combines wonderful entertainment for the whole family including decorated floats, gigantic colorful helium balloons, marching bands, clowns, horses, antique cars, military and celebrity performances, the National Cherry Blossom Festival® All-Star Youth Tap Dance Team and Choir, and various cultural performing groups. The event is simulcast live on ABC 7/ WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8.

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2012 Entertainment Highlights

• ABC’s Katie Couric co-hosts the Parade with special correspondent Alex Trebek of Jeopardy and ABC7’s Alison Starling and Leon Harris.
  
  
• Performers include singer-songwriter Javier Colon, 2011 winner of The Voice. Siobhan Magnus, American Idol finalist, sings a rendition of “Are You Ready for a Miracle?” Washington, DC native Nathan Pacheco captures hearts with his dazzling tenor voice.
  
  
• Performances also come from Mary Mary, the Gospel sister duo of Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell, and international dance music icon Kristine W.
  
  
• Honorary marshals include singer and actress Marie Osmond and Olympians Kristi Yamaguchi and Benita Fitzgerald Mosley.
  
  
• This year, the performance area expands across the steps of the National Archives, when over 1,500 youth from around the country perform as part of the Youth Choir and All-Star Tap Team.

Date and Time

April 14, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The parade is held rain or shine. Arrive around 9:00 a.m. to stake out a spot along the parade route. Following the parade is the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Don't miss the biggest Japanese street party in the nation.

Parade Route

Along Constitution Avenue, NW beginning at 7th Street and ending at 17th Street. The parade passes many Washington, DC attractions - National Archives, the Department of Justice, Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument and the White House. See a map of the parade route

Transportation and Parking

This is one of the biggest events of the year and parking is extremely limited. The best way to get to the parade is by Metro. The closest Metro stations are Archives/Navy Memorial, Federal Triangle and Smithsonian. For more information about getting to the festival, see Cherry Blossom Festival Transportation Guide

Seating and Tickets

The parade is free and open to the public. For $20 you may purchase a reserved grandstand seat.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week, city-wide event featuring more than 200 international cultural performances and over 90 other special events. See the schedule of the National Cherry Blossom events