If you’ve ever wanted to see an Aston Martin or Cobra in person, an upcoming Alexandria festival may be your best chance.
According to a release, the Old Town Festival of Speed and Style is scheduled to return to Alexandria on Sunday, May 18, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in Old Town and a James Bond-themed soiree the night before.
“The Festival has garnered tens of thousands of spectators to Old Town, doubling foot traffic to local businesses, generating widespread media coverage, and raising money for Alexandria-based nonprofits,” the release said. “The event is a high-sensory spectacle for participants, spectators and car enthusiasts, allowing them to experience the ‘Speed & Style’ variety of exotic supercars and vintage motorcycles rarely seen sitting still for up-close viewing.”
The festival, sponsored by Burke & Herbert Bank, fills the lower blocks of King Street around Market Square (200-500 blocks of King Street) with cars, from rare sports cars to classics.
The release said this year the focus is on iconic British car manufacturer: Jaguar.
According to the release:
On display will be rare Jaguar road cars and sports cars from the 1950s through the 1980s. In addition to the cars, a myriad of different sponsors will be showcasing their goods under canopies strategically dispersed throughout the Festival area. And live rock and jazz music will add to the great vibe – provided by two well-known local bands. Old Town Alexandria is recognized as a “stylish and quaint” location that perfectly correlates with the principle of the car show: To incorporate fashion as part of its “Style” element.
The festival includes a “Fashion Demonstration” with models accompanying cars for a “stunning display of haute couture and glam.”
“This incredible event continues to grow in so many amazing ways – more cars, more people, more fun, more impact for Alexandria, and more funds for our local charities,” Rick Myllenbeck, founder and chairman of the Old Town Festival of Speed & Style,” said in the release. “If you haven’t seen a fast, exotic, wicked-cool car like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, or Cobra up close and in-person, this is the event for you! Combine that with high-style, fashion, music and fun, and you now know why this is such a special event. Please join us! Everyone is welcomed.”
The event is free to attend but a pre-festival High-Octane Ball will take place the night before on Saturday, May 17 with proceeds going to ALIVE! and the National Breast Center Foundation.
“The formal, ticketed gala event will highlight the ‘Style’ element of Speed & Style and will have the James Bond feature movie ‘Casino Royale’ as the theme of the evening,” the release said. “Tickets are now available for single or group tables. Partygoers can enjoy great food, wine, libation, live music, and a silent auction. As with the Festival, all proceeds go to the featured local charities.”
The Bond franchise has a long history with exotic cars, famously with Aston Martin and infamously with Jaguar.
