After a sold-out event two years ago, tickets are on sale for the next Del Ray House & Garden Tour returning on Saturday, May 9.
The biennial tour, hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, gives ticket holders access to participating homes and gardens throughout the neighborhood. This year’s event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Josie Ortega, a member of the Del Ray House & Garden Tour Committee, told ALXnow participating houses are still being confirmed, but about eight to 12 are expected to be part of the tour. Homes are selected from community nominations and are not revealed until the day of the event to preserve an element of surprise.
The last tour in 2024 featured a Sears kit home with historic features, a Windmill Hill new build “and everything in between,” Ortega said. This year’s tour includes some notable gardens, among them a year-round native plant garden.
“Del Ray is a historic neighborhood, but its houses were built at different periods,” Ortega said. “They weren’t all built at the same time, so you’re going to have a variety of sizes and styles, like single-family homes, attached homes or row houses. I also think the residents are very creative, so you’ll see some pretty traditional decor and some people who have renovated historic homes with a real eye to keeping it respectful to that time period.”
Ticket holders will pick up their entrance passes and map of the participating homes starting at 11 a.m. at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square (203 E. Oxford Avenue). Ortega says there will be pit stops located in the neighborhood, and Del Ray businesses are open to visitors. The Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market and weekly Del Ray Farmers Market are also running on May 9.
The tour is always held on Mother’s Day weekend, with proceeds going to local causes. This year’s beneficiaries are the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, the Caboose plaza restoration project near Mount Vernon Community School, and Mount Vernon Community School after-school tutoring.
The tour is looking for volunteers to serve as docents at each home. In between their assigned shift, volunteers get a ticket to tour the homes and gardens. Interested volunteers may email [email protected].
The event sold out in 2024, so residents are encouraged to sign up for tickets in advance. Early-bird tickets are $49.87 through April, after which the price increases to $55.20.
