The Little Theatre of Alexandria is back to full strength. After two-and-a-half years of Covid restrictions, the theatre returned to full capacity on June 27.
The venue will still require proof of full Covid vaccinations for theatergoers, who must still wear masks indoors during performances.
With fireworks, cupcakes and music, Alexandria celebrated its 273rd birthday on Sunday, July 10.
Thousands were in attendance for the free party, which also celebrates America’s birthday and was supposed to be held on Saturday (July 9), but was held off due to rain. What resulted was a less crowded event than years past — with performances by Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker, Poet Laureate Zeina Azzam, and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO).
Summer highlights at The Birchmere include rock band America, R&B singer Lalah Hathaway and a suite of country-folk music legends.
July has a certain blues/country flair, with singer-songwriter John Hiatt performing two shows, folk musician A.J. Croce covering the music of his parents — folk musician Jim Croce and his wife and songwriting partner Ingrid Croce, and a show by country-rock musician Steve Earle.
Jack Kilby is nearly out of fliers. There’s been a stack of them sitting on a barstool in front of his home recording studio in Del Ray for the last couple weeks promoting an upcoming outdoor concert in his back yard this Saturday night.
On Saturday, June 4, Crab Shack Live at 211 E Oxford Avenue is offering dinner, drinks and live music from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be three 45 minute sets featuring Sam C. Jones and the Sinners, Eliza Harrison Smith and Micah Robinson. There’s a $20 cover for music lovers ages 21 and over, and it’s $15 for everyone else.
It wasn’t a washout, but the Alexandria Old Town Springtime Art Festival was a little less busy than expected due to the rain.
On Saturday and Sunday (May 14 and 15) the festival featured dozens of artists at the John Carlyle Square outside of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (600 Dulany Street).
The Alexandria Old Town Springtime Art Festival is, despite the name, headed for the heart of the Carlyle neighborhood this weekend.
The art festival is scheduled for Saturday (May 14) and Sunday (May 15) from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The art festival will be held at the John Carlyle Square outside of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (600 Dulany Street).
Palestinian American Zina Azzam has been chosen as Alexandria’s poet laureate, and will take over the post filled three years ago by KaNikki Jakarta, who was honored with a proclamation on Tuesday night (April 5).
“I’m really delighted to be here and to I’m really honored to have this position,” Azzam told the Alexandria City Council. “I’ve got big shoes to fill and I’m really looking forward to it.”
(Updated 7:15 p.m.) For a while now, there’s been a fairly straightforward trade between the City of Alexandria and developers: if you want more density, you need to build affordable residential units.
New development in Old Town North, however, has thrown a wrinkle into that system by opening up a second option. Now, developers can also get bonus density by opening up sections of new development to arts use — part of the city’s efforts to establish Old Town North as an arts district.
Mayor Asks Metro for Support During Closure — “Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson urged Metro in a Thursday letter to commit to city rail and bus service amid an announcement of extended closures, particularly on the transit agency’s Yellow Line.” [WTOP]
West Glebe Road Bridge Lane Closed — “Engineers have identified a structural issue with a bridge connecting Arlington County and Alexandria, prompting a lane closure.” [Patch]
The City of Alexandria is still mulling over what to do with the Torpedo Factory, but one way of paying for the expensive additions could lie in a program started under FDR.
At a meeting of the Waterfront Commission, representatives from the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) outlined one potential path to financing the Torpedo Factory overhaul as part of a “public real estate entity.”
A new art project coming to Waterfront Park later this month is bringing a splash of pink to Old Town.
The project by Miami artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt was proposed last year and the city announced it will be officially unveiled on Friday, March 25.
