Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Tuesday, July 15, the 196th day of 2025. There are 169 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 89 degrees. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight before midnight, then a slight chance of showers after 5 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74 degrees. Light south wind. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
🚨 You need to know
The City of Alexandria will wrap up its popular Community Cookout series tomorrow evening with a free event at The Acclaim Apartments on South Whiting Street. The final cookout of the summer, hosted by the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities (RPCA), runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and promises an evening of food, fun, and community connection.
Residents can expect the full cookout experience: free food, games, activities, and giveaways, along with opportunities to learn about city services and programs. Representatives from Historic Alexandria will be on hand, and attendees can connect with neighbors while discovering the wide variety of resources available through various city agencies.
What started as a grassroots effort by two dedicated RPCA staff members has blossomed into one of Alexandria’s most successful community outreach programs. The cookout series was originally designed to boost program participation and increase outreach to some of the city’s most underserved communities. That modest departmental project has since evolved into a major citywide initiative.
The growth has been remarkable: today, more than 50 city agencies and nonprofit organizations participate in the cookouts, and the events have reached and served over 20,000 residents. The program’s success has earned support from the City Manager’s Office, demonstrating the city’s commitment to community engagement and accessible programming.
Tomorrow’s cookout at The Acclaim Apartments, located at 346 S. Whiting Street, represents the culmination of another successful summer season of bringing Alexandria residents together. For those interested in future community cookouts and other RPCA programming, more information can be found at alexandriava.gov/rpca/alexandria-community-cookouts.
Here’s what else you need to know
👋 End of an Era: There are only a few weeks left before Era’s, the Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar, closes in Del Ray.
🍔 Join the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities on Wednesday at The Acclaim Apartments for the final fun-filled evening of the City of Alexandria Community Cookout series!
🛹 The Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday to discuss proposed changes to the Schuyler Hamilton Jones Skateboard Park as part of an amendment to the Neighborhood Park Improvement Plan.
🗓️ From Port City Brewing’s Loading Dock Rock concerts to weekly trivia nights and historical tours, Alexandria’s calendar this week and weekend offers something for every taste. Here’s our full roundup of all the events and entertainment happening this week and the weekend.
👉 We have a date! HomeGrown: A Daytime Eatery will open on King Street in Old Town on August 11.
🎶 Save The Date: The 5th Annual Bands & Brews: Del Ray’s Summer Bar Crawl returns on August 16.
📈 Monday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for July 14, 2025.
- Notes: New arcade bar prepares for “beta test” opening in Alexandria
- End of an Era: Taylor Swift-themed pop-up bar closing in Del Ray
- ‘HomeGrown: A Daytime Eatery’ opens August 11 in Old Town
- PHOTOS: Thousands gather for Alexandria’s 276th Birthday Bash at Oronoco Bay
- This Week in Alexandria: Army Band concerts, pub crawls, and Shrek under the stars
📅 Upcoming events
Here’s what’s happening today in Alexandria.
Things To Do
- 11 a.m.: Science Heroes: Adventure of the Missing Color at Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center
- 2 p.m.: Science Heroes: Adventure of the Missing Color at Mount Vernon Recreational Center
- 3 p.m.: Inova Blood Drive at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 7 p.m.: BeerYoga at Port City Brewing Company
- 219 Restaurant: Justin Gillen Trio at 9 p.m.
- Augie’s Mussel House: Live music at 5 p.m.
- Galactic Panther Art Gallery: G.T. Arpe 2025 Midatlanticism at 8 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Antonio James at 6 p.m.
- Lost Dog Cafe: Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Trivia at 8 p.m., Pete Baker at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Trivia at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Garden: Trivia at 7 p.m.
City of Alexandria Events & Public Meetings
- 7 a.m.: Duke Street Land Use Plan Pop-Up
- 9:30 a.m.: Alexandria Electoral Board
- 5 p.m.: VIRTUAL: Medicare 101 Presentation for Spanish Speakers
- 6 p.m.: AlexRenew Regular Board of Directors Meeting
- 6:30 p.m.: VIRTUAL: Mt. Vernon Trail at E. Abingdon Community Meeting
- 7 p.m.: Personal Finance and Career Building Workshops
- 7 p.m.: Historic Alex Resources Commission Meeting
- 7 p.m.: Human Rights Commission Meeting
Organizing an event? Submit your event to ALXnow’s Event Calendar.
