DCA Cherry Blossom WMAA In this handout photo, a portion of Reagan National Airport is illuminated with pink lighing to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival. (Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)
Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
IAD Cherry Blossom MWAA In this handout photo, a portion of Dulles International Airport is illuminated with pink lighing to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival. (Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)
Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
blossoms_Reagan_MWAA Cherry blossoms bloom at Reagan National Airport in this file photo. Reagan and Dulles International Airport are now illuminated at night under a soft pink glow as the National Cherry Blossom Festival is about to begin. Both are also offering deals and parking promotions. (Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)
Courtesy Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
WASHINGTON – Travelers heading to Reagan National Airport or Dulles International Airport any evening soon will notice both are partially bathed in soft pink lighting right now.
It is how the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority celebrates the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Both airports are also planning cherry blossom-themed parking promotions and shopping deals.
At Reagan National, people looking to head downtown for cherry blossom festivities will be able to park each weekend during the festival in the airport’s garage for up to eight hours for $10 and take the metro into town.
The Airports Authority says both airports will also stage cherry blossom-themed sidewalk sales, pink-themed food and drinks and a gift for shoppers who spend $50 or more at any combination of retailers or restaurants.
There’s a big audience for all that pink. Dulles had 21.7 million passengers in 2015. Reagan National had a record 23 million.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 20 to April 17 this year.
Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.
