Shutdown will not stop Cherry Blossom Parade in DC
WASHINGTON – The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade will be on Saturday, regardless of a potential government shutdown, avoiding the National Park Service property, organizers said Friday. Festival organizers were determined to preserve the parade after an official federal budget Wednesday surprised them by announcing that it would be canceled in the event of a crash. If there is an arrest, the parade route on Constitution Avenue Washington, along the National Mall would be reduced, the festival group said Friday. Part of the road is under Park Service jurisdiction, so that the parade would be from 7 to 14 Street Street to avoid crossing in the federal territory, which begins on a 15. As for why the jurisdiction of the same road was divided, "it will ask Congress," said National Park Service spokesman Bill Line. Among the stalled budget negotiations in Congress, the group Festival has partnered with the District of Columbia police force to provide additional support if the United States Park Police are not available due to a crash. "We are so happy we were able to pull this off," said spokeswoman Danielle Piacente. The parade includes 5,000 participants, some traveling from as far away as Japan. In addition, 13 bands are scheduled to participate, including paintings by Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, Alabama and New York. The cherry blossom festival began two weeks 99 years ago with a gift of pink and white blossom trees from Japan and now attracts over 1 million visitors each year. A Japanese street festival Saturday on Pennsylvania Avenue, also would go ahead as planned in the event of a crash. Other events planned for the National Mall should be removed, though, and Park Service officials are still determining if a portion of the shopping center would be blocked as it was during a stop in 1995. "We hope that there will be an arrest," said Line.
