Thousands of people gathered along Constitution Avenue in D.C. for the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade.
Dreary, gray skies full of rain gave way to an abundance of sunshine just as performers from all over the world lined up to march the 10 block route from 7th and Constitution down to 17th and Constitution in Northwest.
Sitting in a prime, front row spot on 9th Street was Anne Cole, who drove to town in an RV a few weeks ago with her husband from Box Elder, South Dakota. They鈥檝e been here for a few weeks taking it all in.
鈥淲e wanted to come for the blossom season and all the flowers,鈥� said Cole. 鈥淲e wanted to see everything, one time only.”
The parade is underway
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Ballou HS is in the house too!
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Creekview High in Canton, GA is here too
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A look at the marching band from Freedom HS in Orlando FL
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Was too crowded for good reception earlier
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Military on the route too
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Chelsea HS in Alabama
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鈥淭here鈥檚 so much to take in, there鈥檚 so much history. We鈥檝e absolutely loved it. And the blossoms were just the cherry on the cake,鈥� said Cole.
Friday night, Nicole Humphries made the trip south from Wayne, New Jersey, to see the parade with her daughter, Hallie.
鈥淲e timed it for the parade,鈥� said Humphries. 鈥淥f course New Jersey has cherry blossoms too but they鈥檙e not as beautiful as the one鈥檚 here so we wanted to show her something a little different.鈥�
Hallie loved the dancers who shimmied their way down the parade route the most. Other kids along the parade route were ready to rattle off everything they saw.
Jacai Kearney of Northwest D.C. stood along a concrete planter doing just that, but he started his list of favorite displays with the soldiers from the various military branches who marched their way down in dress uniforms.
鈥淎ll the stuff that鈥檚 part of our life,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I see everybody with balloons doing everything,鈥� he added.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so crowded that most people can鈥檛 even see, they have to stand up on things,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I am going to do is enjoy the show.鈥�
Juan Suero of Rosslyn, Virginia, said he was doing the same thing. He鈥檚 lived in the D.C. area for about a year after retiring from the military. This was his first cherry blossom parade.
鈥淭he kids love it, so I had to bring them,鈥� said Suero. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 miss it this year.鈥�
