The Opening Ceremony is the official kick-off to the two-week Festival.
Washington dignitaries welcome residents and visitors to enjoy the city-wide events that make Washington, DC synonymous with spring around the world.
Musical performances (in sequence):
Tateshima High School and Howard University Jazz Ensemble; accompanied by the Shizumi Kodoma Dance Troupe
Yoshimi Monden (soprano) with the Shizumi Kodomo Choir
Kids LEAD Troupes
Kenny Endo (taiko), Kaoru Watanabe (fue), Masayo Ishigure (koto), and Kazuko Misayo-Stratmann (flute)
Speakers (in sequence):
Doug McKelway (ABC 7/WJLA-TV) -- Master of Ceremonies
Scott Kratz (Vice President of Education, National Building Museum)
Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives)
Diana Mayhew (President, National Cherry Blossom Festival)
Ryozo Kato (Ambassador of Japan)
Riyo Mori (Miss Universe)
National Cherry Blossom Festival Goodwill Ambassadors -- Thomas Lotito, Diana Prilepsky, Erika Spencer-Iwai, Susan Taylor, and Sarah Walczewski
??? Representative of the Government of the District of Columbia
Jeni Alexander (District Team Leader for Target)
The National Cherry Blossom Festival® Opening Ceremony is sponsored by Target and is funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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