Red Barn Mercantile, located at 1117 King Street in Alexandria, is partnering with Two Men and a Truck to collect gently used homecoming and wedding guest dresses and shoes through the end of August.
The initiative aims to help young adults who may not be able to afford clothing for special events by creating a free boutique in a warehouse where they can shop for formal wear.
The Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria will host a community town hall meeting with Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom.
The virtual forum, announced Tuesday on the organization’s Instagram account, will provide residents an opportunity to engage directly with the district’s top administrator about education issues affecting the community. The meeting comes just over two weeks after ACPS students returned to classrooms on Monday, Aug. 18, for the start of the 2025-26 school year.
Enjoy the return of jazz at Metropolitan Park with a free concert series co-presented by the DC Jazz Festival and National Landing BID. Listen to live stylings from Go-Go to bossa nova across the four-part series, from 5-7PM on select Thursdays: May 7, May 21, June 4, and June 18.
Refresh with onsite vendors including Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream and Taqueria Xochi, plus free samples from Mocktail Club—non-alcoholic beverages inspired by travel destinations. Take part in artist-led Studio Sessions curated by Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington while enjoying the music. Visit businesses around Met Park to pack a picnic or sit down for a meal after the show.
Music kicks off at 5PM and concludes at 7PM, with a set break in the middle.
Featured Performers and MoCA Studio Sessions
May 7: The JoGo Project (Jazz Meets Go-Go)
Art Activity: “Even Colors Dance (Synesthetic Watercolor)” | Led by David Ignacio, current Resident Artist at Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington’s main museum
May 21: Joe Brotherton (New Orleans)
Art Activity: “Paper Garden” | Led by Jaqui Falkenheim of Arlington Collage Collective
June 4: Eric Byrd Trio (Acoustic Jazz Piano/Vocals)
Art Activity: “Stitching Systems: Mapping Home” | Led by Lauren Crawford, current Resident Artist at MoCA Arlington’s main museum.
June 18: José Luiz Martins (Brazilian Jazz)
Art Activity: “Day Inking with JD” | Led by JD Deardourff, recent Resident Artist at MoCA Innovation Studio.
For transportation and Met Park information, visit nationallanding.org/met-park/faqs. Met Park is a five-minute walk from the Pentagon City Metro.
Jazz @ Met is presented by DC Jazz Festival and National Landing BID, sponsored by Amazon. Additional support for performances is provided by The Galena-Yorktown Foundation and The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation.
Note: Performance schedule is subject to change.
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Wednesday, Aug. 20, the 232nd day of 2025. There are 133 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: Patchy drizzle before 8 a.m., then a slight chance of showers after 4 p.m. Patchy fog before 10 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 20%.
Alexandria City High School’s football program continues its 2025 season Thursday when the varsity Titans host Meridian High School at 6:15 p.m. for their home opener, following last week’s season-opening road game at Langley High School.
Head coach Rodney Hughey and his staff are working to improve on last season’s 3-7 overall record and 3-4 Division 6A regional mark. The Titans finished 39th in the state division rankings, providing motivation for the program’s rebound efforts this fall.
Join us for a delightful Sunday afternoon at the BlackRock Center for the Arts as Cruise Planners Beth & Rod present a special travel-inspired matinee featuring the beloved film Under the Tuscan Sun.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
The U.S. Department of Education escalated its conflict with Alexandria City Public Schools on Tuesday, placing the district on “high-risk” status and moving all federal funding to a reimbursement-only system after ACPS rejected federal demands to change transgender student policies, according to a department press release.
The action affects over $50 million in federal funding flowing to Alexandria and four other Northern Virginia school districts, requiring the schools to pay expenses upfront and then request reimbursement from the federal government, the department said.
Alexandria Police searched Tuesday evening for two suspects who shot a man twice in Alexandria, prompting a multi-agency manhunt involving K-9 units.
The shooting occurred around 5:06 p.m. near the 3200 block of South 28th Street, with the victim found on the ground in front of 3220 S. 28th St. suffering gunshot wounds to the abdomen and arm, witnesses said.
Alexandria’s Department of Planning and Zoning has a full docket at its upcoming bi-monthly virtual community meeting.
On Sept. 2 (Tuesday), planning and zoning staff will conduct a meeting via Zoom to discuss updates to these issues:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The seasonably adjusted unemployment rate in Washington, D.C., was the highest in the nation for the third straight month, according to new data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
D.C.’s jobless rate reached 6% in July, a reflection of the mass layoffs of federal workers, ushered in by President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, earlier this year. An overall decline in international tourism — which is a main driver of D.C.’s income — is also expected to have an impact on the climbing unemployment rate in the District.
Cinema Del Ray returns next month with a real crowd pleaser — “Remember The Titans.”
In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Disney film about the 1971 state champion T.C. Williams High School football team (now Alexandria City High School), it will be shown on the big screen outdoors on Saturday, Sept. 20 , starting at dusk at the Mount Vernon Recreation fields (2701 Commonwealth Avenue).
