FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Brenda D. Farrell, Corporate Communications Manager, 401-348-1363
DATE: June 17, 2004

Washington Trust Offers Big Apple Circus Discounts

$5 Per Person Discount On Select Performances, July 10 and 13

Westerly, Rhode Island... Discount coupons for the Big Apple Circus at Charlestown's Ninigret Park are now available at all 16 branches of The Washington Trust Company. The coupons are valid for a $5 per person discount on select seats at three shows: Saturday, July 10 (12 and 8 p.m.) and Tuesday, July 13 at 3:30 p.m. The Bank will also host Washington Trust night on Tuesday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Carnevale!, the Big Apple Circus's 26th show, blends the essences of Venice, Rio de Janeiro, Trinidad, Cuba, New Orleans and Jamaica in one ring under the Big Top. Audiences young and old will delight in a spectacle that combines the sights and sounds of Mardi Gras with music ranging from calypso and reggae to samba and zydeco. Performers from around the world include the high-wire trio The Carillos of Columbia and Latvia; the Cuban acrobatic troupe Los Aregos; the Aniskin Troupe, a flying trapeze act from Russia; and the Arabian horses of Denmark's Katja Schumann.

Washington Trust customers may redeem discount coupons three ways: via Ticketmaster, (401) 331-2211 or www.ticketmaster.com (promotional code: MWTRUST); in person at the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce through July 7; or at the Circus Box Office at the Park entrance beginning July 8.

For 26 years the Big Apple Circus, New York's original one-ring circus, has been delighting audiences of all ages under its Big Top by presenting the finest in live family entertainment featuring world-class circus artistry. The Big Apple Circus is a not-for-profit performing arts and community outreach institution committed to children and their families.

The Washington Trust Company is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including trust and investment management, and has 16 branch offices located throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Founded in 1800, the Bank is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., whose common stock trades on The NASDAQ Stock Market® under the symbol WASH. Web site address: www.washtrust.com.