Morning Notes: Alexandria turns 276 tonight with free fireworks and family festival

Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Saturday, July 12, the 193rd day of 2025. There are 172 days left in the year.

On this day in 1955, the Alexandria City Council refused a request to build a drive-in movie theater in the West End. The Alexandria Amusement Co. wanted to open a drive-in south of Duke Street near Cameron Station, but area residents complained that the theater would cause traffic problems and the light and sound at night would be a nuisance.

⛈️ Today’s weather: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91 degrees. Heat index values as high as 102. Calm wind becoming southeast around six mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 20%.

🚨 You need to know

The City of Alexandria will mark a special milestone this evening as residents gather at Oronoco Bay Park to celebrate both Alexandria’s 276th birthday and America’s 249th birthday in a festive community celebration. The free event at 100 Madison Street will offer families an opportunity to enjoy live music, local food and drink vendors, and spectacular views of the Potomac River.

The celebration promises to be a unique opportunity for residents to commemorate both the historic city’s founding and the nation’s independence in a single event. Live musical performances will provide entertainment throughout the evening as families stroll through the park, sampling offerings from various food and beverage vendors while taking in the waterfront atmosphere.

The evening will culminate with a grand fireworks display over the Potomac River at 9:30 p.m., providing a dramatic finale to the dual birthday celebration.

To accommodate tonight’s festivities, the city has implemented several road closures beginning early this morning. The 500 block of North Union Street, Pendleton Street between North Fairfax and North Union, and the 100 and 200 blocks of Madison Street closed at 7:30 a.m. Additional closures of the 600 and 700 blocks of North Fairfax Street will take effect at 3:00 p.m. City officials have prepared contingency plans to reschedule the event for Sunday in case of inclement weather, though current forecasts appear favorable for tonight’s celebration.

Here’s what else you need to know

🇫🇷 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.

🗓️ Here’s our roundup of all the events, live music, and entertainment happening around Alexandria this weekend.

📈 Friday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for July 11, 2025.

1. 1. First Look: New renderings show Alexandria’s proposed tallest building
   2. No injuries after lightning strike on roof of Alexandria town house
   3. Inova Alexandria Hospital employee fired after patient’s credit cards stolen, used at Target
   4. From Brunch to Brew: Three Alexandria restaurants nominated for RAMMY awards
   5. WWII hero who escaped Nazi captivity dies at home in Alexandria at 103

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on today and this weekend in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

• 👉 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