Carlyle | ALXnow

Published September 25, 2026 at 1:45PM

The 100 block of King Street in Old Town (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

September is already approaching its end, and fall events are ramping up around Alexandria.

Some of the month’s biggest events are taking place this weekend — the returning Alexandria Fall Art Festival in Carlyle and sold-out 84th Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour in Old Town. Other highlights include the new Old Town Beauty Crawl, Alexandria Film Festival’s premiere of “Ask E. Jean,” the Friends of Beatley Central Library book sale, Wilderness Kids Alexandria Music Festival and an event with “The Silver Linings Playbook” author Matthew Quick.

Around Town

Alexandria Oktoberfest, Chalk-A-Block, Classic Car Show lead weekend events

By Emily Leayman

Published September 18, 2026 at 3:45PM

Mayor Alyia Gaskins at a previous Chalk-A-Block in Old Town North (courtesy of Old Town North Alliance)

As September continues, more and more festivals and other events are happening around Alexandria.

Families will find events for all kinds of interests, from shopping and art to history. It’s a busy weekend between Alexandria Oktoberfest, The Lyceum’s Classic Car Show, Old Town Boutique Community’s Alexandria Days and Alexandria Library’s Black Family Reunion. Old Town North particularly has a lot going on — Chalk-A-Block, Alexandria Canal History Pub Crawl and Vintage Flea and Artisans Market.

Around Town

Rus Uz bids farewell to Alexandria as Hoffman Town Center location closes

By Emily Leayman

Published September 15, 2026 at 9:15AM

Rus Uz

Diners in Alexandria will have to look elsewhere to find the flavors of Uzbekistan and Russia.

Rus Uz closed at Alexandria’s Hoffman Town Center (210 Hoffman Street) on Aug. 31 at the lease end, owner Ismoil Rakhmatullaev told ALXnow. The Uzbek family-owned restaurant’s other locations remain open at 1000 N. Randolph Street #3a in Arlington and 2600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in D.C.

News

Federal leases and housing conversion push down Alexandria office vacancy rate

By Emily Leayman

Published September 9, 2026 at 1:45PM

The new U.S. Housing and Urban Development building, pictured with an America 250 flag, in the Carlyle neighborhood (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Office vacancies are trending down in Alexandria, although Old Town and Old Town North are going against the trend.

That’s according to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership’s Mid-Year Market Report released Tuesday (Sept. 8) looking at commercial real estate trends for the first half of the year through June 30, 2026.

Around Town

New Alexandria Map Society launches to show cartography isn’t just for scholars

By Beth Lawton

Published August 14, 2026 at 1:45PM

A map with pins (via delfi de la Rua/Unsplash)

Against the loud din of a crowded Atlas Brewery in Carlyle Crossing, a small group of self-described cartography nerds opened the first gathering of the Alexandria Map Society in late July.

The group is being organized by Alexandria resident Andrew McCarthy-Clark, who said he has been a fan of maps since elementary school, when he joined the National Geography Bee.

News

UPDATED: AFD hazmat team contains apparent diesel spill in Hooffs Run

By Emily Leayman

Published August 11, 2026 at 4:25PM | Updated August 11, 2026 at 7:25PM

Hazmat spill in Hooffs Run, Aug. 11, 2026 (via Alexandria Fire Department/X]

An apparent diesel spill in Hooffs Run prompted a response by the Alexandria Fire Department Tuesday afternoon in the Carlyle area.

Around 3:32 p.m., units responded to Holland Lane and Jamieson Avenue for an investigation of a “reddish liquid” flowing downstream in Hooffs Run. The caller believed it may be heating oil entering the waterway around the bridge between the Public Storage building and Residence Inn, according to radio dispatches.

Around Town

Alexandria Restaurant Week returns in August at over 75 eateries

By Emily Leayman

Published July 24, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated August 20, 2026 at 3:28PM

1799 Prime Steak & Seafood (via Misha Enriquez for Visit Alexandria)

Foodies will have the chance to try new eateries or return to old favorites during the next Alexandria Restaurant Week in August.

Alexandria Restaurant Week, held twice a year in January and August, will be held over 10 days from Friday, Aug. 14 to Sunday, Aug. 23. Full-service restaurants will serve prix fixe dinner menus at $35, $45 or $55 per person, and fast casual restaurants will have their own offers.

News

Alexandria maintains top 10 ranking on Travel + Leisure’s best U.S. cities list

By Emily Leayman

Published July 8, 2026 at 9:15AM

Sunny day in Old Town (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Alexandria’s ranking isn’t as high as last year on Travel + Leisure’s annual “Best Cities in the U.S.” list, but it has remained in the top 10.

Travel + Leisure announced the winners of the 2026 World’s Best Awards yesterday (July 7). Winners were determined by feedback from about 207,000 readers around the world.

Around Town

PHOTOS: Alexandria celebrates Pride Fair at new John Carlyle Square location

By James Cullum

Published June 29, 2026 at 11:45AM

Alexandria’s ninth annual Pride Fair was held at John Carlyle Square Park, June 27, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

In recognition of Pride Month, Alexandria leaders joined hundreds of visitors in celebrating the city’s annual LGBTQIA+ Pride Fair on Saturday (June 27).

With City Hall in Old Town under renovation, this was the first time that the Pride fair was held at John Carlyle Square (300 John Carlyle Street). Dozens of vendors lined the park for the event, which was hosted by the city, the Del Ray Community Partnership, Inova Pride Clinic, Kindred Tree Healing Center and VEG ER for Pets.

Around Town

Fresh Healthy Cafe franchise seeks to open in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood

By James Cullum

Published June 18, 2026 at 2:45PM

Fresh Healthy Cafe has submitted plans for 2040 Jamieson Avenue in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood (via City of Alexandria)

A cafe serving smoothies, paninis, fresh juices and bowls has submitted a request to open in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood.

If approved, franchise owner Vijay Balusu’s Fresh Healthy Cafe special use permit request would transform the former home of a Starbucks at 2040 Jamieson Avenue into a cafe with 12 indoor seats and four outdoor seats.

Around Town

From Croatian festival to Best of the West: Guide to Alexandria’s June 5-7 weekend events

By Emily Leayman

Published June 5, 2026 at 2:45PM

Taste of Del Ray in 2023 (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

The first weekend of June brings plenty of summer happenings, from a welcome celebration for the Croatian National Football Team to other food festivals, concerts and tours.

Events like Best of the West, Flavors and Sounds of Croatia in Alexandria and the sold-out Taste of Del Ray will keep foodies satisfied this weekend. History fans will enjoy the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Walking Tour. Musicians will also treat the community to free concerts with Alexandria Citizens Band: A Journey Through American Music and LIVE at the Lyceum: Piano & Friends Concert.