The Niles-born Sixth Generation band has been selected to perform at the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

Their performance will be at the height of the annual celebration at 1 p.m. April 4, on the main stage at the Tidal Basin.

Each year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from the city of Tokyo to the city of Washington, D.C. The gift and annual celebration honor the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and the continued close relationship between the two countries. It is considered to be the nation’s greatest springtime celebration.

More than 1.5 million people visit Washington, DC each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees and enjoy the many events during the festival.

The Sixth Generation was formed in Niles in 1966 and enjoyed a No. 1 hit record in the Michiana region called “This is the Time” in 1967. They were very well known back in those days and performed at the most popular teen dance venues across Michigan and Indiana. They disbanded in 1970 due to college commitments.

In 2010, the band reunited with its original members. Since that time, they have been inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends hall of fame, released a song called “That was the Time” that has become a baby boomer anthem with well over 100,000 views on YouTube, released a highly acclaimed album called “That Was… This Is” and was invited to do a tour of England last summer with the highlight of the tour being a performance on the Paul McCartney stage at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool on Ringo Starr’s birthday.

The band’s 2014 tour schedule will include multiple performances in the Michiana area.