Three local businesses along King Street in Old Town will be open late tonight (Friday) for a holiday-themed celebration.

Red Barn Mercantile (1117 King Street), Pippin Toy Co. (1310 King Street) and Penny Post (1201 King Street) will remain open from 8 p.m. to midnight for “Midnight Merriment” festivities. The shops plan to offer refreshments and activities throughout the night as shoppers enjoy “the magic of Old Town Alexandria after dark,” according to a release.


Meet Jax, an adorably furry four-legged friend and resident of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

The five-year-old pooch weighs about 40 pounds and is starting to settle into his mature personality, making him “ideal for adopters who prefer to skip the rambunctious puppy phase,” according to an AWLA volunteer.


An Alexandria nonprofit that teaches trades to underserved youth received 100 refurbished laptops and $10,000 from AT&T and Human I-T today (Thursday).

Apprentices at Cornerstone Craftsman will each receive one of the laptops after they graduate from high school. The donations were made by AT&T after Garrett McGuire, the company’s regional director of external and legislative affairs, spoke with Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins about workforce development.


New holiday trees from the Alexandria Health Department are seeking to spread cheer while preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

A small, artificial tree in AHD’s clinic waiting room at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive) is decorated with about 20 to 30 sexual health items, including internal and external condoms, as well as fentanyl test strips. A second “condom tree” has been placed at Friends to Lovers Romance Book Store at 301 Cameron Street.


Francis C. Hammond Middle School is among three regional venues that will host a new, co-ed youth hockey league led by the Washington Capitals in the new year.

Registration has opened for the team’s first-ever Capitals Street Hockey League (CSHL), intended for kids ages 5-12. The season’s eight weekends of games, lasting from March through May 2026, will take place at three venues, including the middle school at 4646 Seminary Road, according to a release.


A popular holiday-themed bar crawl is returning to Del Ray this Saturday.

The 10th annual Candy Cane Bar Crawl will be held from 12:30 to 6 p.m., encouraging attendees to eat, drink and be merry, according to a flier posted by the hosting Del Ray Business Association. This year’s crawl includes raffles, trivia, a photo booth and costume contest, along with 18 participating restaurants promising festive libations.


A longstanding nonprofit retailer dedicated to fair trade practices with artisans around the world is set to undergo a rebranding.

After closing multiple locations around the country and shifting to online sales, Ten Thousand Villages at 915 King Street continue as-is, but with a new identity. In February, the Old Town shop will hold its grand reopening as “The World Crafted on King.”


An Alexandria nonprofit is requesting donations of women’s pajamas for its residents who are transitioning back into the community after incarceration.

Friends of Guest House, located at 1 E. Luray Avenue, is collecting women’s pajama sets to provide for its residential program participants during the holiday season. Realtor Maureen Clyne has collected hundreds of sets since starting the annual effort seven years ago.


Alexandria’s 25th annual Holiday Boat Parade brought gleaming, spirited displays of holiday cheer to Old Town’s waterfront on Saturday night.

Visit Alexandria has announced the winners of the parade today (Monday), with exhibits ranging from a hot pink Chappell Roan theme that captured “Most Spirited Crew” to a playful “Hanukkah Octopus” named Happy that won “Hardiest Soul.” Here’s a look at this year’s winners and categories.


The weather was crisp and cool as hundreds of revelers sang holiday carols at the annual lighting of the Del Ray Christmas Tree and Menorah on Sunday night.

The 36-foot-tall tree is the tallest ever in Del Ray. It was donated by “Mango” Mike Anderson and Bill Blackburn of the Homegrown Restaurant Group.


What a day for a parade it was in Old Town on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The wailing of bagpipes sailed through Alexandria’s historic streets as thousands of community members gathered to watch the 54th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.


View More Stories