The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)
This coming Monday, September 1, is Labor Day and a number of city government offices and facilities will be closed.
Trash collection will move to Tuesday for the holiday, parking enforcement at metered spaces will be lifted, and it will be your last chance to enjoy public pools. See a full listing of what’s open and closed below.
Alexandria Hearing Studio opened in July at 918 Prince Street in Old Town (via Facebook)
There’s a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 12 for a new audiologist (ear doctor) office in Old Town.
Northern Virginia Audiology Doctors formally opened their Alexandria Hearing Studio (918 Prince Street) to the public at the end of July. They will hold a ribbon cutting on Friday, Sept. 13, from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m.
Gabrielle Berg, Northern Virginia Tennis for Fun Chapter Founder, 2026 Youth Leader of the Year Awardee
Khoi Truong, Lake Braddock Boys Tennis Coach, 2026 Coach of the Year Awardee
Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 2026 Tennis Creates Impact Honoree
Game, set, Gala! On Saturday, Nov. 14, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by QTS, comes to The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, celebrating the transformative power of tennis.
The evening raises critical funds to make the sport accessible to all across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and eastern/southern West Virginia.
Every dollar goes back into local communities through programs like Girls Rule the Court™, which has served more than 2,000 girls, along with Junior Player Scholarships and Tennis in Schools. Gala funds also help restore public courts. Over the last three years, the Foundation has invested $505,000 across 17 public facilities.
Emceeing the evening is Emmy Award-winning ESPN journalist Malika Andrews, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, who joined ESPN’s tennis coverage this year for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Andrews has pointed to the electric moment American tennis is having, with stars like the DMV’s own Frances Tiafoe reaching the 2026 US Open men’s semifinals, and says she’s grateful for the chance to support the sport at the local level.
Joining the celebration is new USTA CEO Craig Tiley, who took the helm of the national governing body in July after over 20 years at Tennis Australia. As he leads the USTA toward its goal of 35 million players by 2035, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation drives the grassroots work to grow the sport right here in the region.
The Foundation will present its Tennis Creates Impact Award to Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck, U.S. Navy (ret.), 63rd Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognizing his leadership in fostering character, community, and well-being through tennis.
The heart of the night is the 2026 Tennis Creates Awards, honoring local changemakers. Alexandria’s Leigh Ann Jackson receives the Adult Leader Award for coaching Girls Rule the Court at Groveton Elementary, where she has served 130 students over five seasons and championed the program’s expansion to Hybla Valley.
Arlington’s Gabrielle Berg earns the Youth Leader Award for founding a Northern Virginia chapter of Tennis For Fun, which runs free year-round clinics for people with special needs in partnership with the Arlington YMCA. Burke’s Khoi Truong, head coach at Lake Braddock Secondary School, is the 2026 Coach of the Year.
They’ll be joined by fellow honorees Dr. Ellen Markowitz (Community Champion), James Skinner (Provider Champion), and Janelle Nichols (Tennis in the Classroom Awardee).
Tickets and tables are now available. Can’t make it? Make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation or bid in the silent auction to help put a racquet in the hands of the next generation of players.
The Tennis Creates Gala takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean, VA 22102.
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)
A 34-year-old Alexandria-area man is being held without bond after the alleged carjacking of a delivery driver in the Groveton neighborhood of Fairfax County.
The incident occurred at around 11 a.m. in the 3300 block of Lockheed Boulevard on Monday, Aug. 25. Virginia State Police located the vehicle in the City of Alexandria and arrested David Lewis during a traffic stop.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum will host its final Family Day with Young Historians of the summer season on Sunday, Aug. 31, from 2 to 5 p.m.
The interactive program at 134 N. Royal Street features Junior Docents — students in grades four through seven — who lead museum tours and share stories of early Alexandria. Activities include chocolate making and period clothing demonstrations.
Shopping in Old Town Alexandria (via Visit Alexandria)
Alexandria residents and visitors have plenty to choose from this weekend as the city’s popular Summer Restaurant Week extends through Labor Day weekend, offering diners special menus and pricing at participating establishments. The long weekend features a mix of outdoor markets, cultural events and live entertainment across the city’s neighborhoods.
Saturday highlights include the weekly Old Town and Del Ray farmers markets, while Sunday adds the West End and Four Mile Run markets to give shoppers multiple opportunities to browse local produce and crafts. Music lovers can catch performances ranging from jazz at The Birchmere to traditional Irish sessions at Daniel O’Connell’s, while families can explore history at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum’s Family Day with Young Historians on Sunday.
Murphy's Grand Irish Pub at 713 King Street [Photo via Murphy's/Facebook)
Numerous venues in Alexandria are ready for football fans as the 2025 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 4.
Need a go-to spot this season? These local sports bars and restaurants offer happy hour deals and screens aplenty for watching with friends, in addition to hosting local fanbases and alumni groups.
A train arrives at the Potomac Yard Metro station (staff photo by James Cullum)
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Thursday, Aug. 28, the 240th day of 2025. There are 125 days left in the year.
☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 80 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 62 degrees. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
Traffic backup heading eastbound along Duke Street (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The City of Alexandria will host the second Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Bishop Ireton High School cafeteria to discuss draft guiding principles based on community feedback.
The meeting will take place at 201 Cambridge Road beginning at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation and question-and-answer session, followed by facilitated discussion on draft principles from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. The presentation portion will also be available online via Zoom.
The Garden at 1503 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)
A commercial property at 1503-1505 Mount Vernon Ave. that currently houses The Garden restaurant is being marketed for lease with availability starting Sept. 1, according to a listing from PVIM LLC, a commercial real estate brokerage based in Old Town Alexandria.
The property features 1,100 square feet of interior space on a 10,706-square-foot lot with 100 feet of street frontage and three parking spaces. The asking rent is available upon request, according to the marketing materials.