Here’s a roundup of all the events, live music, and entertainment happening around Alexandria this weekend. Enjoy!
Are you organizing an event? Submit events to ALXnow.
Friday, April 19
Things To Do
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Character Building Workshop at Military Children’s Six Foundation
- 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Fun Friday at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Degas Art Bingo at Nepenthe Gallery
- 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: In My Cookie Era! Cookie Decorating at Lost Boy Cider
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Guided Meditation With Cats at Mount Purrnon Cate Cafe & Wine Bar
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Hall Pass from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Ryan Forrester from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Johnny Artis Band from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Fish Market: DJ at 9 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: The Dead Queens W/ Folking Tunes and Tennessee Frisky from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Trio from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Lost Boy Cider: Game Night from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Poehemia & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Crushing Diamonds from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Broken Ground at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Rich Russman Band from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Parents Night Out at Mount Vernon Recreation Center
Saturday, April 20
Things To Do
- 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.: ALX Dog Walk at Oronoco Bay Park
- 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Old Town Farmers’ Market at Market Square Plaza
- 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Del Ray Farmers Market at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
- 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Pop Up Spring Marketplace Boutique at the Athenaeum
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Del Ray Kitchen Confidential Design Tour at Del Ray Design Tour
- 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Animal Family Day at Mount Vernon
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Old Town Alexandria Historic Home and Garden Tour Kicks Off Spring Tradition in Old Town Alexandria
- 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Saturday Pop Up, Pop In Story Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Exploring Watercolor Takes Courage – A painting class by artists Teresa Brunson and Lynn Martin at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Garden Day Tours at Carlyle House Historic Park
- 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Board Game Cafe at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Embroidered Tapestry Workshop with Beta White at Fibre Space
- 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: 10th Anniversary Party at Sweet Fire Donna’s
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: ReFashion Show at The Garden ALX
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Brews & Booze Motor Cruise with Tall ship Providence Foundation
- 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Society Spring Fling at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
- 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: To The Sea | Pro Coro Alexandria Concert at Westminster Presbyterian Church
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Small Town 7 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Larry Thomas Duo from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Practically Einstein from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Galactic Panther: RedHorizon, The Backbeat Collective & Zawadi Live Music @ Galactic Panther from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Karaoke from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Sharon Clark Trio from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Poehemia & Pat Carroll at 9 p.m.
- Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center: ASO Presents: On the Town & Shostakovich 5 – Shuffle and Deal at 7:30 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: Steep Canyon Rangers at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Black Cactus Hotels at 9:30 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Charles Houston Health & Fitness Expo at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Annual Invitational Cheer Competition at Alexandria City High School Gymnasium
Sunday, April 21
Things To Do
- 8 a.m.: Dyke Marsh Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Art of Manual Coffee Brewing at Galactic Panther
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Old Town North Farmers Market
- 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Animal Family Day at Mount Vernon
- 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Burpees and Brews at Port City Brewing Company
- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Girl Scout Garden Day at Carlyle House
- 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Writers Group at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids Arts & Crafts at Hops N Shine
- 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Oddball Cinema – Barry Landon at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Jazz at Meade featuring the Vaughn Ambrose Quartet at Meade Memorial Episcopal Church
Live Music & Entertainment
- Blackwall Hitch: Jazz Brunch with Black Coffee from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s: Conor Malone from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: ESP’s InterGalactic Open Mic from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: The Office Trivia Night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Steve Zubrick from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Walt Johnson Trio from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Meade Memorial Episcopal Church: Jazz at Meade featuring the Vaughn Ambrose Quartet from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
- Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center: ASO Presents: On the Town & Shostakovich 5 – Shuffle and Deal at 3 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: SGGL (Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin, & Lille) at 7:30 pm
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Kev Powe Thang from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
City of Alexandria
- 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Ellen Pickering Environmental Excellence Award at Del Ray GardenFest
Ryan Belmore is an award-winning news publisher, editor, and journalist. Born and raised in Rhode Island, he now resides in Alexandria with his wife and two rescue dogs. He was recently appointed to the City of Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals and previously served on the City’s Commission For The Arts. Email listings and events to Ryan at [email protected]. Follow Ryan on Instagram at whatsupalexandria.
Here’s a roundup of all the events, live music, and entertainment happening around Alexandria this weekend; enjoy!
Are you organizing an event? Submit events to ALXnow.
Friday, April 12
Things To Do
- 9 a.m.: 2024 Spring Garden Market at River Farm
- 10:15 a.m.: Just Babies at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 3:30 p.m.: Lego Competition at James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library
- 3:30 p.m.: Fun Friday at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 6:30 p.m.: Make Your Own Candle with Bark Social Alexandria
- 7 p.m.: Torpedo Factory Art Center’s 2nd Friday at Torpedo Factory
- 7:30 p.m.: Bring It On – The Musical at Alexandria City High School
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Tennessee Frisky at 9 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Timmie Metz Band at 9 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant and Bar: David Andrew Smith Duo at 9:30 p.m.
- Fish Market: DJ at 9 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Music Bingo at 7 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Trio at 7 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin and Tsehay Kassa at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Pat Garvey and Powers & McLaughlin at 9 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: Marcus Johnson at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: A Night To Forget at 9:30 p.m.
- The Little Theatre of Alexandria: Murder on the Orient Express at 8 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music at 6 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Chris Timbers at 9 p.m.
City of Alexandria
- 11 a.m.: Planting Pinwheel Garden for Child Abuse Awareness at Charles Hill Park
Saturday, April 13
Things To Do
- 7 a.m.: Old Town Farmers’ Market at Market Square Plaza
- 8 a.m.: Del Ray Farmers Market at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square
- 8 a.m.: Active for Autism 5k and Kids Dash at George Washington Middle School
- 8:30 a.m.: MVCS Big Flea in the Neighborhood at Select Del Ray neighborhood homes
- 9 a.m.: Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market at Del Ray Psych & Wellness
- 9 a.m.: 2024 Spring Garden Market at River Farm
- 10 a.m.: Mining Completion Open House and Celebration at Founders Park
- 10 a.m.: Beyond The Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria at Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden
- 10 a.m.: All We Can Save Circle – Discussion Group at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 10 a.m.: Fitness At The Brewery at Aslin Alexandria
- 10 a.m.: Trash Trekkers at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 10 a.m.: 9Round Fitness Class at Lost Boy Cider
- 10:30 a.m.: Pedals & Pints: Short Ride at Handy Bikes
- 11 a.m.: Spring Yoga for Kids at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 12 p.m.: The “Grandest Congress”: The French and Indian War in Alexandria at Carlyle House Historic Park
- 12 p.m.: Vola’s Spring Oysterfest at Vola’s Dockside Grille and Hi-Tide Lounge
- 1 p.m.: I’m A Poet And I Know It – Mini Poetry Workshop and Open Mic at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library
- 1 p.m.: Art and Architecture Day at Huntley Historic Site
- 1 p.m.: “A Deadly Endeavor” Author Talk at James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library
- 2 p.m.: Handcraft Tuesday – Weekend Edition at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library
- 2 p.m.: A Taste of the Caribbean at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
- 2 p.m.: Wine Glass-Painting and Candle-Making Class at Made in ALX
- 2 p.m.: Board Game Cafe at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
- 2 p.m.: Civil War Hospital Tour at Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden
- 3 p.m.: Tree and Nature Walk with the Virginia Master Naturalists at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 5 p.m.: 2024 Alexandria Sister Cities Committee Annual Whisky Tasting at the Lyceum
- 7:30 p.m.: Bring It On – The Musical at Alexandria City High School
Live Music & Entertainment
- Alexandria Bier Garden: Secondhand Chaos at 9 p.m.
- Blackwall Hitch: Too Extra Band at 9 p.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant and Bar: Irresponsible at 9:30 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: LIVE Comedy Game Show with the Auxiliary Improv at 8 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Karaoke at 8 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Sharon Clark Trio at 7 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: Negussie Bogale and Nani at 10 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Pat Garvey and Powers & McLaughlin at 9 p.m.
- O’Shaughnessy’s: Moran Tripp at 10 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: NAJEE at 7:30 p.m.
- The Light Horse: Lights Out By 8 at 9:30 p.m.
- The Little Theatre of Alexandria: Murder on the Orient Express at 8 p.m.
- The Study at Morrison House: Live piano music at 6 p.m.
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Holly Montgomery at 9 p.m.
City of Alexandria
- 8:30 a.m.: We Are Eco-City Alexandria at City Hall
- 9 a.m.: Families & Educators as Partners Conference at Del Pepper Community Resource Center
- 9 a.m.: Free Income Tax Preparation Assistance at Del Pepper Community Resource Center
- 9:30 a.m.: City Council Public Hearing Meeting at City Hall
- 5 p.m.: Whisky Tasting at the Lyceum
Sunday, April 14
Things To Do
- 8 a.m.: Dyke Marsh Sunday Morning Birdwalk at Dyke Marsh
- 9 a.m.: Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market
- 10 a.m.: Old Town North Farmers Market
- 10 a.m.: Kid’s Adventure Terrarium Workshop at PlantHouse
- 11 a.m.: Del Ray Dog Fest & Yappy Hour at George Washington Middle School Parking Lot
- 1 p.m.: Del Ray Urban Sketchers at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub
- 2 p.m.: Sundays in Catan at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
- 2 p.m.: Dance on the Green at John Carlyle Square Park
- 2:30 p.m.: Preschool STEAM Sundays at James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library
- 3 p.m.: Del Ray Dog Fest Yappy Hour at Lost Boy Cider
- 5 p.m.: That’s All Folks – SONOVA Goes Looney! At George Washington Masonic Memorial
Live Music & Entertainment
- Blackwall Hitch: Jazz Brunch with Black Coffee at 10:30 a.m.
- Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Restaurant & Bar: Jack Gregori at 5 p.m.
- Galactic Panther: ESP’s InterGalactic Open Mic at 7:30 p.m.
- Hops N Shine: Music Trivia at 7 p.m.
- Laporta’s Restaurant: Steve Ragsdale at 11:30 a.m., Walt Johnson Trio at 6 p.m.
- Makeda Restaurant: An Evening of Smooth Jazz at 8 p.m.
- Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub: Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
- Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
- The Birchmere Music Hall: Leo Kottke at 7:30 pm
- Two Nineteen Restaurant: Kev Powe Thang at 9 p.m.
City of Alexandria
- There are no events or public meetings scheduled.
Ryan Belmore is an award-winning news publisher, editor, and journalist. Born and raised in Rhode Island, he now resides in Alexandria with his wife and two rescue dogs. He was recently appointed to the City of Alexandria’s Board of Zoning Appeals and previously served on the City’s Commission For The Arts. Email listings and events to Ryan at [email protected]. Follow Ryan on Instagram at whatsupalexandria.
Good Monday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Expect mostly sunny skies with a high around 68 and a light southeast wind, which will shift to the south and increase to 5-10 mph in the morning. By Monday night, the sky will become mostly cloudy and the temperature will drop to a low near 52, with a south wind at 3-7 mph.
🚨 You need to know
Alexandria canceled its eclipse viewing party today at Old Town Pool.
Not to worry.
There’s still an eclipse viewing party today at Ben Brenman Park, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
“Eclipse viewing glasses will be provided (one per group) while supplies last,” according to Alexandria Library. “Maximum coverage occurs at 3:20 p.m.”
In case of inclement weather, the event will occur inside the Charles E. Beatley Library with NASA’s live feed of the event.
📅 Upcoming events
Here is what’s going on today in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
- 1:30 pm: Eclipse Viewing Party
- 1:30 pm: Solar Eclipse Viewing Party
It got a little lost among the rush of news late last year, but we finally have an answer to what shut down the Alexandria Library’s electronic services last year.
For several weeks in July, the Alexandria Library was crippled by a ‘data incident’ that led to the city’s audiobooks, wifi, library card signup and more being shut down.
Some of those services, like wifi and audiobooks, were restored after a few weeks, others took longer.
The Alexandria Library said in a post in November that the Alexandria Library had been the victim of a ransomware attack:
The Alexandria Library system recently experienced a partial network outage due to a ransomware attack which encrypted several servers. The investigation by cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement is substantially complete and concluded that Library patron information was not accessed or compromised. Alexandria Library does not collect or retain the personally identifiable information (PII) of its patrons and borrower history was not contained on the encrypted servers. The Library has implemented additional security measures designed to prevent a reoccurrence of such incidents and to further protect and enhance the privacy of our employees, patrons and vendors. All impacted services have been restored.
The Alexandria Library was a closed book for much of last year about the cause of the shutdown but did say that cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement had been called in to investigate the incident.
If you have a kid with a knack for Legos, or you’re an age 6-12 Alexandrian who pays unusually close attention to local news sites: there’s a Lego competition planned today at the library in Del Ray.
The competition emphasizes teamwork, creativity, and skills with using plastic bricks to make something new.
“Attendees will be put on a team and given a prompt with 1 hour to complete their build,” the library website said. “Our esteemed judges will evaluate and choose a winning team.”
The competition runs from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue).
Teamwork, Creativity and Legos! Join the competition on Friday, Nov. 17, at the Duncan Branch Library starting at 3:30 PM. Attendees will be put on a team and given a prompt with 1 hour to complete their build! Ages 6- 12 https://t.co/3yFshvL3F2 pic.twitter.com/lJtPtJhJhG
— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) November 16, 2023
If you’re an aspiring writer working through National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), there’s a workshop at the Alexandria Library for you.
There’s a Writers Group meeting at the Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central library twice a month. The next meeting is this Sunday, Nov. 5, from 1-4:30 p.m.
Are you a writer looking for constructive criticism, encouragement, or just a sympathetic ear? Join the Beatley Writer's Group on Sunday, Nov. 5, from 1-4:30 PM for all of the above. https://t.co/dslDk9qcn2 pic.twitter.com/f8m58Z94ns
— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) November 3, 2023
“This is a twice-monthly forum for writers to network, share moral support, and offer constructive criticism,” the event listing said. “Meets first and third Sundays. All are welcome!”
Other writing groups around town include the Old Town Alexandria Writers, Authors, & Poets Group and the Northern Virginia Writers Club.
If your bookshelf is looking a little sparse, or you’re hoping to get a head start on Christmas shopping: Alexandria’s Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street) is hosting its fall book sale this week.
The event, organized by Friends of the Beatley Central Library, starts tomorrow (Wednesday) and runs through Monday, Oct. 23. A preview day is available today for Friends of the Beatley Central Library members.
The sale includes thousands of books, DVDs, CDs and more.
The sale runs from 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. tomorrow and Thursday, then from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday is half-price day, running from 1-4:30 p.m., and Monday is $10 bag sale from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Friends of Beatley Library Fall Book Sale starts this week with a members-only preview on Oct. 17, then open to the public on Oct. 18 through 23. The sale is a great way to support the Library while stocking your shelves with new favorites. https://t.co/2nVIGjcUIf pic.twitter.com/REn5iJ8f72
— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) October 16, 2023
While it won’t have the fierce competition of its French forebearer, Le Tour d’Alexandria is being hosted by the Alexandria Library later this month.
The 13-mile, 2.5-hour bike ride will run in a loop around Alexandria, hitting all of the library locations along the way.
“This leisurely ride begins at 10 a.m. at Beatley Central Library, is approximately 13 miles long, and ends back where it began,” the Alexandria Library event listing said. “Bring your bike and join library staff for this 2.5-hour ride.”
The check-in starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Beatley Central Library and the tour starts at 10 a.m., finishing roughly around 12:30 p.m. back in the same location.
Space on the tour is limited and riders must be at least 13 years old to participate. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Helmets are required.
With book bans on the rise, the Alexandria Library is partnering with Elaine’s Restaurant (208 Queen Street) in Old Town to host a free reading from books on banned lists nationwide.
The free event tomorrow (Wednesday) will allow locals to read a 3-5 minute segment from a favorite banned book, like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Kite Runner or Harry Potter, or just come to listen. The event will be held on the second floor of Elaine’s Restaurant from 7-9 p.m.
A list of frequently challenged books is available online.
According to the event listing:
The Freedom to Read is a right, but books are still being banned throughout the country. And the numbers are up, “In a time of intense political polarization, library staff in every state are facing an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books. ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom ALA documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago.” from The American Library Association.
Celebrate your right to read during #BannedBooksWeek. The Barrett Branch Library is partnering with Elaine's Restaurant at 208 Queen Street in Old Town to host a Read Out of banned or challenged works on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7 PM. https://t.co/8McABiOmlN pic.twitter.com/in3Hg9VkSJ
— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) October 2, 2023
From tango to storytime, the Alexandria Library is hosting an array of events this month to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
The month of programming started on Sept. 15 and will run until Monday, Oct. 16.
There will be a bilingual storytime on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 10:15 a.m. in the Burke Branch Library (4701 Seminary Road). The event is aimed at children who are one or two years old.
There are storytime events throughout the month, including ones for older children and a book club for adults. There will be a screening of Encanto, one of the best Disney movies in recent memory, at the Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue) on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 4-6 p.m.
There are also multiple dances and dance classes, including a Tango class on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 4-5 p.m. in the Burke Branch Library.
The full list of events over the next month is available online.
Hispanic Heritage Month begins today, and the Library has events lined up throughout that will educate, entertain, and inform. https://t.co/yZ357nBrNB pic.twitter.com/VFK9VgCUKN
— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) September 15, 2023
Image via PreilluminationSeTh/Unsplash
