Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: Details, Road Closures

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Cherry Blossom Festival continues this weekend with one of the highlights of the weeks-long event: the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.

The parade begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 16, at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street NW. The parade runs along Constitution up to 17th Street. The parade will be broadcast on WJLA at noon and again at 2 p.m.

Grandstand seating tickets are $20. Standing along the parade route from Constitution Avenue between 9th and 15th streets, NW is free and open to the public, but arrive early for the best views.

Several roads in the area will be closed from 9 a.m until 2 p.m. for the parade. See a map.

3 a.m.-2 p.m:

• Madison Drive NW from 4th to 14th Street
• Jefferson Drive SW from 4th to 14th Street
• Constitution Avenue NW from 6th to 9th Street
• 7th Street NW from Independence Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue

9 a.m.-2 p.m.:

• Virginia Avenue from E Street to Constitution Avenue
• 21st Street NW from Virginia Avenue to Constitution Avenue
• 19th Street NW from Constitution Avenue to E Street
• 18th Street NW from E Street to Constitution Avenue
• 17th Street NW from Independence Avenue to E Street
• 16th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
• 14th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
• 12th Street NW from Independence to Pennsylvania Avenue
• 10th Street NW from Constitution to Pennsylvania Avenue
• 9th Street NW from Madison Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue
• Constitution Avenue NW from 9th to 23rd Street

Parade performers will include: Cast members from the award-winning musical "Jersey Boys, pop singer Tiffany,The Voice contestant Sisaundra Lewis, R&B Grammy-nominated artist and DC native Raheem DeVaughn, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell and the Washington Redskins cheerleaders.

The Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival is also scheduled for Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The rain-or-shine event includes performances to four stages. The new location for 2016 is the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood at M Street and New Jersey Avenue SE, across the street from the Navy Yard-Ballpark Metro station.

Photo: Posted to Flickr by SPakhrin