Around Town

PHOTOS: Alexandria’s 277th birthday fireworks proceed on the waterfront despite rain

By James Cullum
1/19

Alexandria’s 277th birthday ended with a bang and a fizzle on Saturday (July 11), as the evening of entertainment at Oronoco Bay Park was capped with a dazzling fireworks show and a brief rainstorm.

Raindrops started to fall just before 9:30 p.m. as the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra started to play Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, sending hundreds of people under cover of tents and umbrellas at the very start of the fireworks. The evening was otherwise overcast and cool, and city leaders, the town crier and poet laureate rang in the annual celebration onstage and handed out birthday cupcakes from Wegmans.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins told ALXnow that the event is an opportunity to celebrate the best of the city.

“One of the things I love most about this event is standing on the stage and being able to look out and see the entire crowd,” Gaskins said. “You see hundreds of people, some Alexandrians, but others from across the region. I feel like it’s just this great reflection of our diversity, our welcoming nature and our celebration of community.”

Enjoy the photos!

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.