Good Friday morning, Alexandria!
🗓️ Today is Friday, July 18, the 199th day of 2025. There are 166 days left in the year. Alexandria native and Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles turns 28 today.
⛈️ Today’s weather
- Hazardous Weather Outlook
- Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming northeast around five mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Tomorrow: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 60%—new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
🚨 You need to know
The U.S. Army Concert Band will present “A Musical Mosaic” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center (4915 East Campus Drive). The free concert features works by Bernstein, Ives, Grainger, and more, with Dr. Rodney Dorsey of Florida State University stepping out in front of the band after a week of professional development with several up-and-coming conductors.
Tonight’s program features Leonard Bernstein’s “Profanation,” conducted by COL Bruce R. Pulver; William Schuman’s “Chester,” conducted by Yudai Ueda; and Percy Grainger’s “Children’s March,” performed by Elle Sunmin Lee. Other highlights include Charles Ives’ “Variations on America,” conducted by Elliot Lentz, and Joaquín Turina’s “La Procession du Rocio,” conducted by Dr. Rodney Dorsey. The evening concludes with Frank Ticheli’s “Symphony No. 2, Movement 3: Apollo Unleashed.”
While the performance is free and open to the public, registration is required. The venue offers general admission seating with ADA accommodations available.
This event caps off a week of professional development where five young conductors—Yudai Ueda, David Ramos, Elle Sunmin Lee, Yuman Wu, and Elliot Lentz—participated in masterclasses and training alongside Dr. Dorsey before taking the podium tonight with the U.S. Army Concert Band.
Here’s what else you should know
✊ Hundreds of Alexandria residents gathered on Thursday to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s death with a rally designed to carry forward his legacy of nonviolent action and defend democracy. ALXnow was on hand for the event and will have complete coverage later this morning.
👾 Get your index fingers ready, because Continues Arcade is opening next week near the Braddock Road metro station. ALXnow got a first look and has all the details on what to expect.
🆕 A new coffee shop and wine bar have been proposed in Old Town. Ksenia Varakina recently moved to Alexandria from New York City and wants to open Cherry On Top at 1021 Queen Street before the end of the year.
👏 Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins has been chosen to participate in the ninth class of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a prestigious executive management training program designed to strengthen municipal leadership.
🥓 Milk & Honey opened earlier this week at 801 King Street, bringing Southern brunch fare to the Old Town Alexandria space that housed Hen Quarter for nine years.
🍦 Sunday is National Ice Cream Day. Use our recent Readers’ Choice poll for inspiration or to try somewhere new – Best Ice Cream Shop in Alexandria.
👉 Speaking of polls, don’t forget to vote in our current one – Best Barbecue Restaurant in Alexandria.
📈 Thursday’s most read
The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for July 17, 2025.
- Notes: Alexandria’s $4M ‘Versailles’ townhouse goes viral, featured on Zillow Gone Wild
- Milk & Honey opens in Old Town
- Continues Arcade soft opens next week in Alexandria with 60+ classic games
- New coffee shop and wine bar pitched for Queen Street in Old Town
- Poll: What’s the best barbecue restaurant in Alexandria?
📅 Upcoming events
Here’s what’s happening today and this weekend in Alexandria, courtesy of our event calendar.
- 8:00 am Friday: WEBA July Coffee & Collaboration at Casamigos Restaurant
- 10:00 am Friday: Specialty Tours: Those Who Signed The Fairfax Resolves?
- 6:00 pm Friday: Whiskey Tasting hosted by UNC Men’s Rugby Team—featuring bluegrass music
- 7:30 pm Friday: The U.S. Army Band In Concert
- 9:30 am Saturday: Alexandria – Viringia Housing Homebuying Seminar
- 6:00 pm Saturday: Summer Movie Nights
- 👉 7:00 pm Saturday: EP Summer Movie Night: SHREK!
Friday, July 18
Things To Do
- 8 a.m.: WEBA July Coffee & Collaboration at Casamigos Restaurant
- 10 a.m.: Specialty Tours: Those Who Signed The Fairfax Resolves? at Carlyle House Historic Park
- 10:30 a.m.: Rhythmaya: Bollywood Dance at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Friday Night O’Connell’s Run at Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant
- 6:30 p.m.: Port City Pursuit 5k & 10K at Port City Brewing Company
- 7 p.m.: Build and Glaze Pottery with Cats at Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar
- 7:30 p.m.: The U.S. Army Band In Concert at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
- 219 Restaurant: Bobby Thompson Trio at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Rebel Rose at 9:30 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Jon Cresswell at 9 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Kenny Kohlhaas 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: George Katsos at 6:30 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: The Wavos & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Pixie Jones & The Traitors at 9 p.m.
- Port City Brewing Company: Loading Dock Rock Summer Concert Series at 6 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 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
- 1 p.m.: Medicare 101 Presentation
- 5 p.m.: Friday Family Fun Night at the Pool
- 6 p.m.: Duke Street Land Use Plan Pop-Up
Saturday, July 19
Things To Do
- 7 a.m.: Old Town Farmers’ Market at Market Square Plaza
- 8 a.m.: Del Ray Farmers’ Market at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
- 8:30 a.m.: Murphy’s Saturday Run at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub
- 9:30 a.m.: Alexandria – Virginia Housing Home Buying Seminar at Samson Properties
- 10 a.m.: Fitness At The Brewery at Aslin ALX
- 1:30 p.m.: 12th Annual Old Town Pub Crawl in Old Town
- 6 p.m.: EP Summer Movie Night: SHREK! at AlexRenew Terrace
- 6 p.m.: Jellyfish Terrarium Workshop at PlantHouse
Live Music & Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Holly Montgomery at 9 p.m.
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Maggie Shot Burns at 9:30 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Levi Stephens at 9 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Rook Richards at 9:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Sharon Clark Trio at 7 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Negussie & Nani at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: The Wavos & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Squid Ink at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere: Tell Me Lies – The Fleetwood Mac Experience at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Broken Ground at 9 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6 p.m.
City of Alexandria & Alexandria City Public Schools
- 10 a.m.: Specialty Tour: Hamilton’s BFF & Frenemies
- 11 a.m.: Friendship Firehouse Museum Open
- 5 p.m.: Apothecary Night Shift
Sunday, July 20
Things To Do
- 8:30 a.m.: West End Farmers Market at 4800 Brenman Park
- 9 a.m.: Four Mile Run Farmers’ Market at Four Mile Run Park
- 2 p.m.: Alexandria Oddball Cinema – Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 3 p.m.: Summer Sundays Chamber Music at the Lyceum by WMPA
Live Music & Entertainment
- 219 Restaurant: Kev Powe Thang at 9 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Black Coffee at 10:30 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Jack Gregori at 5 p.m.
- Galactic Panther Art Gallery: Open Mic at 7:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Marvel Trivia Night at 5 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Steve Zubrick at 11:30 a.m., Walt Johnson Trio at 6 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: O’McPub Band at 4 p.m., Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere: Hubert Laws at 7:30 p.m.
City of Alexandria & Alexandria City Public Schools
- 11 a.m.: Outlandish Tour at the Apothecary Museum
- 2 p.m.: Family Day with Young Historians
