Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Friday, July 11, the 192nd day of 2025. There are 173 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind.
Mostly clear tonight, with a low around 74. Light southeast wind.
🚨 You need to know
Alexandria’s historic museums are rolling out a series of specialty tours this July that promise to transform how visitors experience the city’s rich past. From Outlander-inspired apothecary tours to Hamilton-themed tavern visits, these immersive experiences go far beyond traditional museum exhibits.
The month-long lineup offers something for every interest, whether visitors are Civil War history enthusiasts, Broadway musical fans, or Harry Potter devotees. Tours are priced at $15 for general admission and $12 for Historic Alexandria members, with advance purchase strongly encouraged through the city’s online portal.
Literary and Pop Culture Connections
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is featuring two distinctive tours that blend historical education with popular culture. On July 20 at 11 a.m., the “Outlandish Tour” will explore herbal medicines featured in the time-traveling series Outlander, including cascara and daucus seeds. The tour examines the role of women and apothecaries in 18th-century medicine and is recommended for ages 18 and up.
Harry Potter fans can celebrate the Boy Who Lived’s birthday on July 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. with “The Science Behind Harry Potter” tour. Designed for families and adults who “missed their Hogwarts letter,” this extended tour explores historic muggle medicines that inspired the Herbology and Potions of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. Participants will conclude by creating their own potion to take home.
Revolutionary Era Personalities
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is capitalizing on the popularity of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton with “Hamilton’s BFF & Frenemies” on July 26 from 10 to 11 a.m. The tour explores how Washington, Lafayette, Jefferson, Madison, and Burr intersected at this iconic tavern, examining how their political relationships and decisions affected local citizens.
Civil War Medical History
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site rounds out the offerings with “Civil War Medicine” on July 26 from 10 to 11 a.m. This tour moves beyond battlefield narratives to highlight Alexandria’s crucial role in wartime medical care, featuring rare artifacts and exploring the practices and people who worked behind the frontlines.
The specialty tours represent Alexandria’s ongoing effort to make historical education more engaging and accessible to diverse audiences. Reservations can be made at https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx.
Here’s what else you need to know
🆕 Veteran School Board Members Michelle Rief and Christopher Harris were unanimously chosen Thursday night to lead the Alexandria School Board for the 2025-2026 school year.
🎤 U.S. Sen. Mark Warner held a media availability Thursday afternoon to condemn what he called “one of the worst pieces of legislation” he has seen in his career, referring to a recently passed Republican bill that he says will devastate healthcare access and veteran services across Virginia.
🏗️ New renderings for the proposed 31-story tower in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood are in, and the developer will soon present them to a local review board for discussion.
🇫🇷 Alexandria is marking Bastille Day, which is on Monday, with a week of French-themed celebrations, featuring fine dining, family activities, and an evening 5K race.
🎇 On Saturday, the city will celebrate its 276th and the U.S.’s 249th birthdays along the waterfront at Oronoco Bay Park. The free party includes food trucks, fireworks, live performances by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, appearances by the town crier, poet laureate, and Mayor Alyia Gaskins, as well as cupcakes for thousands of attendees.
🗓️ Here’s our roundup of all the events, live music, and entertainment happening around Alexandria this weekend.
📈 Thursday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for July 10, 2025.
- Inova Alexandria Hospital employee fired after patient’s credit cards stolen, used at Target
- From Brunch to Brew: Three Alexandria restaurants nominated for RAMMY awards
- First Look: New renderings show Alexandria’s proposed tallest building
- Mayor Gaskins among 16 mayors interviewed by New York Times about President Trump era challenges
- Alexandria daycare employee fired after months of alleged child abuse
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today and this weekend in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- 7:00 pm Friday: Trivia Night at Historic Sites
- 8:30 pm Friday: Outdoor Movie Night
- 👉 9:00 am Saturday: Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market
- 1:00 pm Saturday: Lecture: Fashion History of the Carlyle’s 18th Century
- 👉 2:00 pm Saturday: Coffee Fest at Beeliner Diner
- 6:00 pm Saturday: “Myth to Reality” by Kate Brogdon
Friday, July 11
Things To Do
- 11 a.m.: Double Beer Release: Essential Haze & German Pilsner at Port City Brewing Company
- 6:30 p.m.: Friday Night O’Connell’s Run at Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant
- 7 p.m.: Trivia Night at Historic Sites at Lee-Fendall House Museum
- 8:30 p.m.: Outdoor Movie Night at Alexandria Free Methodist Church
- 219 Restaurant: Myles Deep at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Broken Ground at 9:30 p.m.
- Aslin ALX: Giggle Monster Comedy Showcase at 8 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: DeadEye Stare at 9 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Jason Hibler Duo at 9:30 p.m.
- Flipside Speakeasy: Karaoke at 8 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Quartet at 7:30 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: DC Ambiance at 7 p.m., Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Pat Garvey at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Kingpin at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere: Lauren Canyon: Golden Songs of Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: The Darts (DMV) at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6 p.m.
City of Alexandria Events & Public Meetings
- No public meetings or events are scheduled.
