No, There's No Symbolism In Those Elephants Walking Around Town Tonight
If you happen to see a parade of elephants ambling through the city tonight, it isn't some thinly veiled message about a coming Republican president and how he'll stomp all over the District for four years—it's just the annual Pachyderm Parade.
The parade is an annual tradition marking the arrival of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to the Verizon Center, where it will put on nine shows from March 15-18. This year, the parade starts at Garfield Park (Virginia Ave. and New Jersey Ave. SE) before moving west towards South Capitol Street SE then heading north up Washington and Independence Ave. SW past the National Mall and continuing up 3rd Street NW before arriving at the Verizon Center via G Street NW. The whole thing kicks off at 8 p.m., so don't worry about getting stuck in traffic behind a line of elephants.
The thing might be something of a spectacle, but it's also an abomination for some animal rights activists. Last year, PETA unveiled a huge inflatable elephant to protest the circus' arrival in D.C., and NBC4 reports that a District resident has started a petition urging businesses along the parade route not to support it. (A number of places from Carmine's to Graffiato are offering parade-related happy hour deals from 5-7:30 p.m.) This year, PETA is coordinating a protest on Thursday at 10 a.m. in front of the Verizon Center and other demonstrations to coincide with different showtimes. All the details are here.
Elephants can be somewhat unpredictable in these conditions, so for any breaking updates, follow the parade's organizers on Twitter at @DCElephantWalk.
View 2012 DC Elephant Walk Route in a larger map
