The National Cherry Blossom Festival is accepting submissions for its fifth annual Sing into Spring competition, a call for local talent to perform in the 2019 parade in April.
Winning soloists or vocal groups will be showcased to more than 150,000 parade attendees and a nationally syndicated TV audience in the largest spectator event of the festival on Saturday, April 13.
The competition is open to all residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia 15 and older, though those under 18 require parental consent. Hopeful contestants must submit a 30-second YouTube video for consideration through Monday, Nov. 19. Submissions will only be accepted online, and only vocalists are eligible — instrumental performances will not be accepted.
A selection committee will choose up to 20 finalists to move forward and perform in a live audition on Jan. 23 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. From the finalists, a panel of judges will select winners to perform live in the parade.
The selected vocalists will join the parade lineup of celebrity entertainers, marching bands from across the country, performers, giant colorful helium balloons, and elaborate floats.
The festival will run from March 20-April 14 and includes four weeks of events.
For more information, call 877.44.BLOOM or go to nationalcherryblossomfestival.org, CherryBlossomFestival on Facebook, or @CherryBlossFest on Twitter and Instagram.