MARCH 31, 2009

DC Rollergirls to Participate in Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade

(Washington, DC) – Joining a long list of distinguished participants, the DC Rollergirls will participate in this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, one of Washington, D.C.’s signature springtime events and long-standing traditions. This year’s Parade begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 4 and runs along Constitution Avenue between 7th to 17th Streets, NW.

Participants from all three teams will represent the DC Rollergirls, a league currently in its third year of operation that holds its bouts at the DC Armory. The Parade will be featured on a live simulcast locally on ABC 7/WJLA-TV and Newschannel 8. First Lady Michelle Obama is the Honorary Chair of the Festival while Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek is the Parade’s Grand Marshall. More than 2,000 local and national performers will showcase their talents during the parade including American Idol second season finalist Kimberley Locke, Grammy award-winning disco diva Thelma Houston and local bands from Ballou and Eastern High Schools.

The Parade is part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, an annual two-week event that celebrates springtime in the Nation’s Capitol as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan.

The next bout for the Rollergirls is Saturday, April 18 when Scare Force One and the Cherry Blossom Bombshells battle for the opportunity to meet the DC DemonCats in the championship bout on May 9. The DemonCats closed out the 2009 regular season with a 3-1 record and are seeking their first league title.

About DC Sports and Entertainment CommissionThe DC Sports and Entertainment Commission, an independent agency of the District of Columbia Government, seeks to enrich the local community by attracting and hosting sports, entertainment and special events in Washington, D.C. while promoting the Nation’s Capital as a premier event destination. In addition, the mission of the organization is to support citywide community events and programs involving youth, amateur and professional sports. The DCSEC operates the Stadium-Armory campus which includes RFK Stadium, the DC Armory and the surrounding Festival Grounds and serves as the landlord of Nationals Park. For more information, please visit www.dcsec.com.