Hundreds rallied and marched against the Trump administration in Old Town on Thursday night (July 17).
The event at Judy Guse-Noritake Park (600 N. Henry Street) joined hundreds of Good Trouble Lives On rallies across the country, commemorating the fifth anniversary of the death of Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), with participants holding signs and speaking against the Trump administration. The civil rights icon was renowned for his legacy of nonviolent action in defense of democracy.
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.
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.
A new coffee shop and wine bar has 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. She says that the proposed shop is off the beaten path and wants it to be a refuge for locals to unwind.
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.
The Thompson Restaurants concept seats 188 guests across two floors, featuring two full-service bars and a private dining room. The restaurant serves dishes including Pan-Seared Salmon & Grits, Carolina Low Country Gumbo, Chicken and Biscoff Waffles, and Cheesecake Pancakes.
Come celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s War for Independence with renowned music historians David & Ginger Hildebrand for performances of special period music. The Hildebrands will don period attire to discuss and perform music associated with Alexandria’s sister cities: Caen, France; Dundee, Scotland; Helsingborg, Sweden; and Gyumri, Armenia. Scottish music was especially influential in the American colonies, and once the French joined the Revolutionary cause there were musical celebrations for Generals LaFayette, Rochambeau and other French leaders. This concert event is part of the “Alexandria commemorates America’s 250” campaign. David & Ginger specialize in researching, recording, and performing early American music. Since 1980 they have presented concerts and educational programs throughout the country and abroad at museums, historic sites, schools and universities. Mount Vernon, The National Gallery of Art, The National Archives, and Colonial Williamsburg are among their many past sponsors.
Tickets are $20.
It’s taken a lot of coffee to keep Hypergoat Coffee Roasters humming in Old Town, and next month they’re celebrating their first year in business.
“This past year has been full — early mornings, great conversations, new faces, familiar ones, and lots of coffee shared,” shop owner Deborah Joos Tafner de Moraes recently wrote on social media. “We’ve grown more than we imagined, and it’s all because of the people who’ve been part of this journey.”
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.
Gaskins joins 47 mayors from 17 countries in a nine-month professional development program, a collaboration between Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School. The initiative was created to address the gap in executive development opportunities for public sector leaders.
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s successful effort to cut $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, warning that the reductions will damage America’s global influence and national security interests.
Speaking to Virginia media Thursday (July 17), Senator Warner said the Senate’s late-night passage of what’s known as a rescission package represents a dangerous retreat from decades of American leadership worldwide. The legislation strips about $8 billion from foreign assistance programs and more than $1 billion from public broadcasting.
Get your index fingers ready, because Continues Arcade is opening next week near the Braddock Road metro station.
The inside of Continues Arcade is still being finished, but features more than 60 classic arcade games, as well as large leather couches and sectioned off tables to hook up TVs to classic gaming systems like the Nintendo NES or Sega Genesis.
Meet Abi, a sweet 4-year-old boy who loves to explore a grassy yard and hang out with his humans. This 59-pound love bug is the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s (AWLA) featured adoptable dog this week, and he’s receiving rave reviews from his current foster family.
At four years old, Abi is out of his puppy stage but still has lots of energy to play and join you on all your adventures. He loves a good run in the yard and playing fetch with his people, although he is still working on returning items during fetch. He’s eager to please and learn new things, making him an ideal companion for an active family.
