Information Session 2019

National Cherry Blossom FestivalVolunteer Orientation

History of the Festival

Festival History

• Commemorates 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to Washington, DC. The annual celebration honors the lasting friendship between the USA and Japan.

• The original gift of trees occurred in 1910, and the trees arrived diseased.

• Several influential parties including Dr. Jokichi Takamine, Eliza Scidmore, and First Lady Helen Taft made the gift of 1912 a reality.

• First Ladies have since played an important role. All recent First Ladies have served as Honorary Chair.

• In 1915 the US reciprocated with a gift of flowering dogwood trees, and in 1981 cuttings from the US trees were sent to help replace trees destroyed by flooding.

Festival History

• The first “Festival” was held in 1927.

• In 1934, District commissioners sponsored a 3-day celebration that evolved into the annual observance we know today.

• The Festival has grown into the nation’s greatest springtime celebration.

• Spans 5 weekends and welcomes close to 2 million people to the Washington, DC area.

National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc.

Festival History

• Originally part of the Downtown

DC BID, and was an all-volunteer

organization.

• Became a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit

organization, and now has a

growing full-time staff.

• Diana Mayhew, President & CEO

Mission Statement• The Festival promotes the celebration of springtime in

Washington D.C. and enduring friendship between the

United States and Japan

• Produce daily events with educational initiatives and

diverse and creative programming to enhance our

environment during the Festival

• Promote and showcase traditional and contemporary

arts, culture, natural beauty and building community

spirit year round

• Keep events free and open to the public

Peak Bloom Date:

Now Predicted to be April 3 – 6 !

2019 National Cherry Blossom Messaging

________________________________________

This year ’s theme is …..

BLOSSOMS HERESpring

• Spring

• Creativity

• Inclusivity

• Culture

• Family

• Community

• Friendship

• Opportunity

• What is driving them to

the festival?

• Art

• Music

• Food

• Fun

FESTIVAL SPONSORS & COLLABORATORS

ATTENDEES

ANA Social Media Campaign• Win a trip to Tokyo on All Nippon Airways (ANA) !

• One random entrant receives 2 round-trip economy-class tickets

!

• Simple to enter: just complete and submit the form found at:

https://travelblossomshere.shortstack.com/MwGgMp to be

eligible.

• When you share your unique URL with friends via social media,

and one of them uses it to enter, you'll get a bonus entry !

• Plus, for every 100 entries, ANA will plant a cherry tree in DC !

• The giveaway closes April 14, 2019 at midnight...so don't delay !

2019 Official Festival Artwork • The 2019 Official Festival Artwork was

created by Simon Bull, a British-born

artist and recipient of numerous national

and international awards.

• While his inspiration is broadly drawn

from the natural world, it is the vivid use

of color that defines his paintings.

• He has exhibited widely throughout the

world, especially in the US, China,

Europe and his native London.

• In 2007 he formed a working relationship

with boxing legend Mohammed Ali, who

selected him to chronicle his career

through a series of portraits that included

joint portraits of the champ and President

Obama

Posters can be purchased online and at merchandise tables

for $12. For every poster sold, $1 will be donated to the Cherry

Tree Endowment Fund.

Union Station Pop-Up Shop

NCBF Official Merchandise at Union Station

• Open March 12th – April 20th at Union

Station in the Main Hall

• Enjoy all that the Festival has to offer

with a one-stop shop at National Cherry

Blossom Festival Merchandise

Headquarters

• Shop for official Festival merchandise

• Pickup free information about the

Festival events and programs

Pink Tie PartyPresented by ANA

Pink Tie Party Presented by ANA

• Voted one of the top events in DC by BizBash (2016). • Celebrates the season of the blossoms with an evening filled with

delicious spring-inspired cuisine and cocktails from local restaurants, a silent auction, engaging experiences, music, dancing and more!

• New in 2019– ANA Virtual Reality experience

Pink Tie PartyPresented by ANA

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Ronald Reagan Building

and International Trade Center

Friday, March 22nd

Cost: $225

Tidal Basin Welcome Area and

ANA Stage

Tidal Basin Area & ANA Stage

• ANA Performance Stage hosts performances

on weekend days March 23 – April 14, 2019;

additional days during peak bloom period are

also likely.

• Celebrate the friendship between Tokyo

and Washington, DC.

• Demonstrate cross-cultural exchange.

Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony• The Opening Ceremony celebrates the season

through a showcase of great American and Japanese talent.

• 2019 Performers:• “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon” The

Super Live, based on Japanese manga;• Yusaku Mochizuki (Mochi);• Ikuko Kawai (classical violinist);• The 6821 Quintet.

• All tickets have been claimed, but the show willbe streamed live on the National Cherry Blossom Festival Facebook page again this year.

Opening

Ceremony

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Warner Theatre

513 13th St NW

Washington, DC 20004

Saturday, March 23rd

Cost: FREE

Blossom Kite Festival

Blossom Kite Festival

• The seventh annual Blossom Kite Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers from across the US and other countries.

• Guests can bring their own kites or make a kite at an activity station (while supplies last) to fly on the Public Field.

• Kites will also be available for purchase onsite.

Blossom Kite

Festival

10:00 am – 4:30 pm

Rain Date Next Day

Grounds of the Washington

Monument Near 17th St and

Constitution Avenue

Washington, DC 20006

Saturday, March 30th

Cost: FREE

PETALPALOOZA Presented by Chase

PETALPALOOZA Presented by Chase

• Formerly known as the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, Petalpalooza will include interactive art installations, games and activities, live music on three stages, a fireworks show, and more.

• Be able to speak to: Firework location and schedule, restroom location, general theme of each area (family friendly, beer garden, fireworks)

• 2 Information Tents, 4 areas to know:• 7th Street Park (Zone 1)• Recreation Pier/Wharf Street (Zone 2)• District Pier (Zone 3)• 202 Pier presented by Fresh Direct (Zone 4)

PETALPALOOZAPresented by Chase

12:00 pm – 9:30 pm

8:30 pm Fireworks Display

Rain Date Next Day

The Wharf

1100 Maine Ave SW

Washington, DC 20024

Saturday, April 6th

Cost: FREE

Walking Route to Volunteer Check-In

(From Metro)

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Parade®

Presented by Events DC

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Parade® Presented by Events DC

• One of DC’s largest spectator events, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® presented by Events DC runs for 10 blocks along Constitution Avenue.

• The Parade route is full of giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers.

• 2019 Grand Marshal is Anthony Anderson from the TV series 'black-ish'.

NCBF Parade®Presented by Events DC

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Constitution Avenue

From 7th to 17th St NW

Washington, DC

Saturday, April 13th

Cost: $20-$30 for

Grandstand Seating

Things to Know

• Be aware and alert

• Be proactive within

assignment

• Communication is key

• Pack lightly

• Be able to speak to:

Bleacher location,

restroom location, start/

end time

Emergency Protocols

Safety First!

• Be aware and alert • If you see something, say something !

To report suspicious activity, contact local law enforcement. Describe specifically what you observed, including:• Who or what you saw;• When you saw it;• Where it occurred; and• Why it's suspicious.

If there is an emergency, call 9–1–1.

Misc. Programs

Goodwill Ambassadors

• A group of 6 young adults, and their coordinator, interested in furthering Japanese-American cultural exchange; chosen from applications.

• Attend all Signature Events, plus others, as ambassadors of friendship.

• Children’s activities onsite at Signature Events

• Help with Youth Ambassador and Neighborhood Tree-Planting Programs, among other things.

Tree Plantings, City in Bloom, and

Cherry Picks

Student Art Contest

Other events going on during the

Festival :

• Smithsonian American Art Museum Cherry Blossom Celebration (a Premier

Event)

– Saturday 3/23/19, 11:30 – 3:00, at F and 8th Streets NW; free.

• National Cherry Blossom Festival Doubles Tennis Tournament

– March 24th – March 25th –9 AM, East Potomac Tennis Center, 1090 Ohio Drive, SW

• 21st Annual Cherry Blossom Freedom Walk

– Saturday 4/6/19, 10:00 – noon, at Louisiana/NJ Aves and D Str, NW; free.

• Blossom Bash at the Anthem Theater (901 Wharf Street SW) (a Premier

Event)

– Friday 4/5/19, doors open 6:30 show at 8 p.m.; presented by iHeartRadio; $55 to $95

• Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run and 5K walk/run

– Sunday 4/7/19, 7:30 – 10:30 a.m.; free

More events going on:• NCBF's Cherry Blast, presented by MGM National Harbor (a Premier Event)

– Saturday 3/30/19, 7 – 11 p.m., at The Theater at MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill,

MD.

• Official Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony

– Sunday April 7th, 3 – 4:30 PM, Tidal Basin, Independence Ave and 17th Str

SW; free.

• Sakura Matsuri, presented by the Japan-America Society of DC (a Premier

Event)

– Saturday 4/13/19, 10:30 AM – 6 PM, Pennsylvania Ave between 3rd and 7th Streets;

free.

• Anacostia River Festival (by NPS, NCBF, and 11th St Bridge Park (a Premier

Event)

– Sunday 4/14/19, 1 - 5 PM.; Anacostia Park, Anacostia Drive and Good Hope Rd, SE

• And many, many more ! Check the NationalCherryBlossomFestival.Org

website, in the Events > All Events section. There's at least one thing per day

happening !!

Volunteers

VolunteersHey . . . you’re on! Things To Do

• Be on time with your Million $ Smile.

• Arrive 15 minutes before call time, and in uniform.

• READ the Volunteer Handbook.

• Find the Restrooms.

• Use Social Media in a Positive Manner.

• Check In & Check Out.

• Have fun but please remember you have a job to do.

• Your Success is Our Success!

It Takes a Village!

• Non-profit organization

• Most events free to the public

• Rely heavily on Sponsorships

• AND YOU, OUR VOLUNTEERS!

• Close to 2,000 volunteers needed!

Vistors FAQ’s

Most Frequently Asked Questions

• What sorts of events occur during the Festival?• How can I volunteer to help the National Cherry Blossom Festival?• What is the National Cherry Blossom Festival?• Where does the Festival take place?• Are tickets required to attend the Festival?• Where are the Cherry Blossoms located?• Are there tours of the Cherry Blossoms?• Where do I get merchandise?• When will the cherry blossom trees bloom?• How do I get to the Tidal Basin?• What else should I know about the cherry blossom trees?

FAQ’s

• Do you know the

Answers?

• Where do I find

them?

OUR SPONSORS