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Alexandria celebrated its 276th and the U.S.’s 249th birthday in style along the Potomac River at Oronoco Bay Park on Saturday (July 12).

Thousands attended the annual event. For about four hours, the park was turned into a maze of beach blankets, lawn chairs, and barefoot kids with lightsabers and bubble guns. Flanked onstage by City Council and city staff, Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Poet Laureate Maria Cristina Donoso made brief remarks before the program was turned over to the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, which wrapped up in time for a spectacular fireworks show (see video below).


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Robinson Terminal North, the last untapped area of Alexandria’s waterfront, just got unanimous approval for redevelopment by the City Council.

Property owner Rooney Properties wants to convert the 3.2-acre, two-block site into two mixed-use buildings with 73 luxury apartments, three restaurants, and more than an acre of open space along the Potomac River at historic West’s Point.


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Get your lawn chairs ready, because Alexandria’s birthday celebration is right around the corner.

On Saturday, July 12, the city will celebrate its 276th and the U.S.’s 249th birthdays along the waterfront at Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison Street). The free party includes food trucks, live performances by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, appearances by the town crier, poet laureate, and Mayor Alyia Gaskins, as well as cupcakes for thousands of attendees.


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Here’s a quick recap of our top stories this week. Over the last weekend, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security removed its list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included Alexandria, from its website. The list contained numerous errors, including localities being mentioned multiple times, as well as towns being incorrectly designated as cities. It drew stern condemnation from Alexandria’s elected leaders.

“DHS did not provide any information regarding the criteria used to compile the list, any sources or research used for the designation, or a response to local governments seeking clarification,” Mayor Gaskins told ALXnow. “As a result, they published a list that was wrong and mischaracterized cities like ours. We follow the law and uphold the constitutional and civil rights of our residents.”


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Plans to partially demolish the former Big Wheel Bikes property in Old Town and replace it with a taco restaurant are heading to Alexandria’s Board of Architectural Review.

On June 5 (Thursday), the Board will assess a permit to demolish and a certificate of appropriateness for proposed alterations for the property located a block away from the Potomac River.


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A covered patio and plaza venue are planned for the proposed pump station at Alexandria’s Waterfront Park.

The city’s proposal to combat flooding in Old Town will close Waterfront Park and Point Lumley Park from the fall of 2026 until the fall of 2028 to rebuild segments of the sea wall and install a pump station to recirculate water in flood-prone areas back to the Potomac River. The pump station plans are heading to the Board of Architectural Review on June 5.


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Welcome to Friday’s weekly roundup of our top stories.

With ALXnow, it’s easy to catch up on the latest news in Alexandria. This week, we focused on coverage of our local, state, and federal governments. We also reported a lot of crime, including a homicide in the city’s West End.


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The City of Alexandria wants Betsey and H.J. Rosenbaum to know that there will still be a botanical garden built in their honor at Point Lumley Park, despite not being included in site concept plans.

The Rosenbaum family has lived near the waterfront for decades, and several years ago, the couple bequeathed $2.5 million to the city to build the garden at the park. They were surprised, however, when they saw new concept designs published by ALXnow that didn’t include a botanical garden. The plans are headed to the city’s Board of Architectural Review on May 7.


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Redevelopment plans for Point Lumley Park on the Alexandria waterfront are heading to the Board of Architectural Review.

The BAR will review the first concept for a reimagined Point Lumley Park at its meeting on Wednesday, May 7. The city plans to close Point Lumley Park and Waterfront Park from fall 2026 to fall 2028 to rebuild segments of the seawall.


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A new temporary art installation titled “Break Water” by D.C.-based mixed media artist Nekisha Durrett debuts on Saturday, March 21 at Alexandria’s Waterfront Park, bringing forward powerful historical narratives through contemporary visual language.

The sculpture, which will remain on display through November, draws inspiration from Alexandria’s waterfront, where natural forces and human activity intersect, often with profound consequences for the community.