SOURCE: DC Water
For Immediate Release
Media Contacts:
Pya C. Langley
National Park Service
pya_langley@nps.gov
202.619.7158
Jessica G. Smith
11th Street Bridge Park
jessica@bridgepark.org
202.889.5901 x207
2018 Anacostia River Festival
Nora Strumpf
National Cherry Blossom Festival
nstrumpf@ncbfdc.org
202.638.8374
Celebrate the Anacostia River and 100th Anniversary of Anacostia Park!
Washington, D.C. (March 1, 2018) – The 11th Street Bridge Park and the National Park Service present the fourth annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year we are throwing a birthday bash for the 100th Anniversary of Anacostia Park by celebrating the “Year of the Anacostia!” Held in Anacostia Park, this FREE event will encourage District residents and visitors from across the region to explore communities and parks east of the river. In 2017, the Anacostia River Festival attracted nearly 10,000 participants.
Anacostia River Festival
When: Sunday, April 15, 2018; 1 pm – 5 pm
Where: National Park Service’s Anacostia Park. Good Hope Road & Anacostia Drive SE Who: FREE and open to the public.
For more information: bridgepark.org/ARF
“In 2018, the stars have aligned to mark ‘the Year of the Anacostia’ – celebrating the river as a stunning ecological and cultural resource for the entire city. Residents from across the DC region can discover this incredible natural resource at our fourth annual Anacostia River Festival.” said Scott Kratz, 11th Street Bridge Park Director.
The festival will feature art exhibitions, live music performances, hands-on activities and special biking activities. Visitors can participate in recycled art projects, fishing workshops, the annual fish bicycle parade, trail rides, bike tune-up stations, safety stations, urban gardening, lawn games, boating and other family-friendly activities re-engaging residents and visitors alike with the Anacostia River and historic Anacostia neighborhood.
“Anacostia Park offers tremendous opportunities to enjoy nature, history and recreational fun along the Anacostia River” said Tara Morrison, Anacostia Park Superintendent. “As we celebrate 100 years of the park, the Anacostia River Festival is the perfect place for residents to come out and learn of
the great ways we can recreate in the park and how we can work towards improving the Anacostia River ecosystem, so that a long lasting connection is formed and appreciation for the park continues throughout the next 100 years.”
Held in Anacostia Park, one of America’s national parks and steps away from the future 11th Street Bridge Park, the event is FREE of charge and a premier event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
“The Anacostia River Festival extends the National Cherry Blossom Festival beyond the blossoms at the Tidal Basin and into our city’s incredible neighborhoods” said Diana Mayhew, National Cherry Blossom Festival President. “We’re excited to cap off four weeks of programming by celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Anacostia Park and the beauty of nature that can be found in our own backyards.”
The Anacostia River Festival is presented by the National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Funds for the Anacostia River Festival are provided in part by Bloomberg and Linder Global Events. Other supporters include Events DC, TD Bank, The Kresge Foundation, The Yards, District of Columbia Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment, City First Bank of DC, JBG SMITH, LISC DC, Enlightened, Inc., The Menkiti Group, and MRP Realty.
About the 11th Street Bridge Park
The 11th Street Bridge Park, a project of Ward 8 based nonprofit Building Bridges Across the River, will be Washington, D.C.’s first elevated public park located on the piers of the old 11th Street Bridge spanning the Anacostia River: a new venue for healthy recreation; environmental education and the arts. After a seven-month design competition, the design team of OMA+OLIN was selected in October 2014. The Bridge Park draws on an extensive community outreach and consultative process, anchored by more than 1,000 stakeholder meetings for design development and impact. Pre-construction began in 2016 and the park is expected to open by 2021.
About the National Park Service
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
The National Park Service invites you to celebrate the Year of the Anacostia. Grab your sneakers, picnic basket, fishing rod, skates or bike and enjoy Anacostia Park, your neighborhood national park for its centennial. Explore the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site located in the Anacostia neighborhood to commemorate the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass, the “Sage of the Anacostia” during the bicentennial year of his birth. Learn more about the Year of Anacostia, visit www.yearoftheanacostia.com. To learn more about Anacostia Park visit www.nps.gov/anac.
About the National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the nation’s greatest springtime celebration. The 2017 Festival, March 20 – April 15, includes four weeks of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit. Visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org or call 877.44.BLOOM for more information and find us on Facebook (CherryBlossomFestival), Twitter (@CherryBlossFest), and Instagram (@CherryBlossFest).
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