The National Park Service and 11th Street Bridge Park presented the first ever Anacostia River Festival on Sunday, April 12 to officially conclude the 2015 National Cherry Blossom Festival. Joined by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and several D.C. council members, the event celebrated the Anacostia River as a source of economic, health, and environmental benefits as well as a cornerstone of community pride. Photos from the event are available online.
At one of the largest events ever held in Anacostia Park, a neighborhood national park, area residents participated in a bike parade, interacted with live birds of prey including Mr. Hoot the owl, paddled canoes and kayaks on the Anacostia River, cast lines to try their hand at fishing, soaked in the sun while listening to local performers and painted a beautiful river mural along the Anacostia flood wall.
“Anacostia Park is poised for a renaissance, and the Anacostia River Festival is just one example of how we will achieve our goal of moving past old perceptions and positioning the park for a shining future," National Park Superintendent Gopaul Noojibail said. “The National Park Service is committed to improving the quality of the park’s natural resources, providing a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, and engaging local communities to use the park as a gateway to health and inspiration. Forming a connection with Anacostia Park is easy."
The event brought together residents from both sides of the river and across D.C. to participate in the revitalization of this amazing natural resource just steps away from the future 11th Street Bridge Park. "For too long the Anacostia River has been hiding in plain sight. The first ever Anacostia River Festival welcomed thousands of visitors to celebrate and explore the river," said Scott Kratz, director of the 11th Street Bridge Park, a project of Building Bridges Across the River at THEARC. “We look forward to working will all our great partners to continue the Anacostia River Festival in 2016 as we get even closer to realizing the 11th Street Bridge Park, which will expand and grow opportunities to connect people with this amazing resource inspiring the next generation of river stewards."
As part of expanding the National Cherry Blossom Festival east of the river, a new grove a cherry trees was planted in Anacostia Park.
“At its heart, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is about community, and we were so thrilled to expand the National Cherry Blossom Festival and bring this year’s events into local communities," National Cherry Blossom Festival President Diana Mayhew said. “We look forward to continuing the Anacostia River Festival for years to come!"
The National Park Service and 11th Street Bridge Park are already hard at work planning the second Anacostia River Festival which will take place during the centennial celebration of the National Park Service in 2016.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
