National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade 2018 Guide

WASHINGTON, D.C. — One of the most anticipated events in D.C., the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

One of the Festival’s largest events, the Parade runs along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW.

Spectators will be dazzled by giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers in the 10-block parade along Constitution Avenue.

About 80 entities join the festivities, including 550 youth chorus members, 500 all-star dancers, the Ballou High School Majestic Knights Marching Band, the Tamagawa University Taiko Drumming and Dance Troupe and more.

This year's Grand Marshal is Carla Hall from ABC's "The Chew." Other celebrity performers are hip-hop group Arrested Development, pop/classical string quartet Well Strung, "The Voice" season 11 contestant Billy Gilman, "The Voice" season eight contestant Sarah Potenza, country singer Ty Herndon, the extreme pogo stunt team XPOGO, rapper Silentó and the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders.

Road closures in downtown and near the National Mall will began at 7 p.m. Friday and continue through 3 p.m. Saturday.

Residents can take the Metro to the National Archives Metro, the L'Enfant Plaza Metro, the Smithsonian Metro, the Federal Triangle Metro or the Metro Center Metro.

The Parade is hosted by ABC-7/WJLA-TV anchors Alison Starling and Jonathan Elias. Local ABC affiliate WJLA will air the Parade locally in a delayed telecast from noon to 2 p.m. The Parade will be nationally syndicated to audiences across the country through the support of Events DC.

>> See our full event guide here.