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To kick off the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the floral, festive Pink Tie Party was held at D.C.’s Union Station on Friday. With approximately 800 people in attendance, the purpose of the pinkest soirée in the city is to raise funds for the festival itself, with a silent auction and tickets that cost $250 per person.

“It is the welcoming social event of spring,” said Diana Mayhew, president and CEO of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Now in its second year, the Pink Tie Party brought performers like Batala, Perfekt Blend and members of Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, plus curated cocktails and cuisine from 20 local restaurants.

What keeps people coming back? Mayhew said, “It’s the fashion and the food and the fun.”

To find out about other upcoming events in the National Cherry Blossom Festival, check out WTOP’s reporting, and learn about the biggest, boldest and bloom-iest events in WTOP’s event guide.