Alexandria’s Market Square was covered in rainbows Saturday for the City’s 8th Annual Pride Fair.
The event included dozens of vendors from businesses, nonprofits and the city. Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley read a city proclamation to the audience that exemplified the city’s support of the LGBTQ+ community. Inside City Hall, young children and their families listened to drag queen story hour with queen Lemon X Fluiditea.
A major rail infrastructure project and a 450-unit development highlight Tuesday’s packed Alexandria City Council agenda, with several other significant funding and infrastructure items also up for consideration.
Council will consider authorizing temporary construction easements to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority for the Alexandria Fourth Track Project, a nearly six-mile rail expansion designed to boost passenger capacity and reduce regional traffic congestion.
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.
For more information, visit TennisCreatesGala.com.
Governor Glenn Youngkin appointed Alexandria resident Micah Edmonds, COO of Kloke Cybersecurity, to the Virginia Israel Advisory Board in his latest round of state appointments announced Friday.
Edmonds becomes the sixth Alexandria resident to receive a state appointment in the past two weeks. Last Friday, Youngkin named five other locals to Virginia university boards, including Daniel Gade (Christopher Newport University), Hillary Waldron (William & Mary), and Preston Cooper (George Mason University).
The City of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities (RPCA) on Saturday (June 28) announced that Old Town Pool would reopen at noon.
The pool, which had shut down on Monday (June 23) for repairs, is “back up, running, and safe for the community to enjoy,” according to the RPCA.
Curious about strength training but not sure where to start? Or perhaps you're looking for a more efficient alternative to traditional gyms?
Imperium Strength & Longevity invites the Alexandria community to an Open House on Sunday, November 1, from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Hundreds of fans wrapped around the Alexandria Dunkin’ building twice this morning as players from the Savannah Bananas took over the Richmond Highway location to serve customers and hand out promotional items.
The event, which ran from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., drew such large crowds that some people waited in line for more than an hour to meet the players and receive free merchandise.
⛈️ Today’s weather: Areas of drizzle before 8 a.m. Cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 101. Calm wind becoming southwest around six mph in the afternoon.
With just days remaining before voting closes on Tuesday (July 1) at 11:59 p.m., The Chewish Deli has established a commanding lead in ALXnow’s “Best Bagel Shop in Alexandria” poll. After cleaning up multiple votes from the same IP addresses, the popular eatery maintains its strong position with 46.85% support from 2,262 voters out of nearly 4,900 total participants in the survey.
Alexandria’s congressional delegation is escalating pressure on federal officials regarding the controversial decision to relocate the National Science Foundation (NSF) from its Alexandria headquarters to accommodate the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), according to a letter obtained exclusively by ALXnow.
Just one day after Senator Mark Warner criticized the move and demanded a full cost-benefit analysis during a media availability, the Virginia delegation has now formalized their concerns in writing.
It’s been another fast week in Alexandria! Here’s our recap of the most-read stories over the last several days.
Our Tuesday (June 24) story on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development taking over the National Science Foundation’s headquarters (2415 Eisenhower Avenue) garnered more than 125,000 views, making it the most-read story of the year. While bringing in more than 2,700 HUD workers, the move will also displace about 1,800 NSF employees over the next two years.
Imagine Artwear is closing at 1124 King Street on Monday (June 30), and soon after, their “KiSMET Mural: Love is All You Need” painting on the outside of the building will be removed.
Owner Carol Supplee says that there are still many good pieces available at bargain prices. She also noted that there are custom-made store fixtures and a lot of “free stuff” for the taking.
