This Saturday Constitution Ave will come alive with blooms, bands and entertainment.  The 2012 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will be held on Saturday April 14th from 10:00am to 12:30pm. The parade will run along Constitution Ave from 7th to 17th Streets, NW.

The Parade will include floats, marching bands, helium balloons and performers all inspired by spring blossoms!  Along with blossoms, the parade brings out the stars.  This year Katie Couric along with Alex Trebek will host the parade. Leon Harris and Alison Starling of ABC7 will also be co-hosting. Other performers include Javier Colon, Siobhan Magnus, Nathan Pacheco and the Gospel duo Mary Mary. Also the Washington Performing Arts Society’s Men, Women, and Childrens Gospel Choir will also perfom. Laura Kaeppeler, Miss America 2012, accompanied by state representatives from  the Miss America Pageant will also be apart of the Parade.

The Blossom All-Star Band which includes 350 members from various bands will also be perform along with twelve other marching bands. The Youth Choir and All-Star Tap Team that includes over 1500 kids from all over the United States who will perform on the steps of the National Archives.  For a seventh year the Tamagawa Universtiy Taiko drummers will perform.  Also a group from Fukushima, the Yamakiya Taiko Club will also drum for the parade. Coming in from Los Angeles, the Taikoproject will also perform.

And of course a parade has to have balloons, and this year Miss Piggy and Scooby Doo will appear as helium balloons!  Along with the rest of these great performers, Marie Osmond, Kristi Yamaguchi and Benita Fitsgerald Mosley will act as the Grand Marshal’s of this fun parade!  You can watch the parade along the route for free or you can sit in the grandstands for $20.00 to purchase tickets go to Ticketmaster.

Enjoy the parade and check the weather and dress accordingly!