In case you missed it, the lighting of the Del Ray Christmas and menorah was packed on Sunday.
The evening was full of families and friends caroling with hot chocolate with marshmallows.
NBC$ Washington reporter Pat Collins made the countdown to light the 30-foot-tall tree at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square, along with Santa Claus, Kate Moran of the Rainbow Rock Band and members of the City Council. Santa Claus was escorted to the event by the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.
“Who wants snow for Christmas? Collins said, and started to chant, “We want snow, we want snow!”
Collins said he’d see what he could do, and brought along the official Pat Collins Snow Measuring Stick for publicity photos.
“Who wants snow for Christmas? Collins said, and started to chant, “We want snow, we want snow!”
Collins said he’d see what he could do, and brought along the official Pat Collins Snow Measuring Stick for publicity photos.
With an assist from @AlexVASheriff, Santa arrived in style to Del Ray tonight to join Pat Collins for lighting the lush, full and downright thick Christmas Tree and Menorah in Pat Miller square. Happy Holidays! #alexandriava #IYKYK #happyholidays #treelighting pic.twitter.com/WFVGGCAA8k
— Sarah for Alexandria (@SarahforALX) December 5, 2022
Tonight we gathered in at Pat Miller Square for the the Del Ray Holiday Tree and Menorah Lighting. pic.twitter.com/iONSx7CbhU
— Alyia Gaskins (@Alyia4ALX) December 5, 2022
ASO made sure a very special guest arrived safely to the Del Ray Holiday Tree & Menorah Lighting tonight! Thanks to @visitdelrayVA for putting on another outstanding community event! pic.twitter.com/NjVCuWJJGQ
— Alexandria Sheriff (@AlexVASheriff) December 5, 2022
The holiday season has begun in Del Ray.
Thanks to @patcollins4 for joining us and bringing the SnowStick.
This is the only time I want to see the SnowStick anywhere near Alexandria this year… pic.twitter.com/m0ZlcvHivQ
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) December 4, 2022
If you’re still looking for a Christmas tree, buying at one spot in Old Town could also help send kids to a local youth camp run by the Alexandria Police Department.
Proceeds from an ongoing Christmas Tree sale at 110 Callahan Drive — just outside Alexandria’s Union Station and the King Street Metro station — will help send kids to the Alexandria Police Youth Camp.
The camp, sponsored by the Alexandria Police Foundation, includes activities like water skiing, kayaking, sailing and fishing out in Kilmarnock, Virginia.
The sale runs every weekday from 4-8 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Christmas Tree Sale at 110 Callahan Drive! Sale proceeds help to send kids to our annual Alexandria Police Youth Camp sponsored by the @AlexandriaVAPF. Hours are weekdays from 4-8 pm and weekends from 10-8 pm. Visit https://t.co/QBv1yy4kdh to learn more about the camp. pic.twitter.com/BAmoqS5KwW
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) December 4, 2022
It was an unseasonably warm 60 degrees on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 3) in Old Town for the Campagna Center’s 51st Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.
The parade is one of the most popular events in the city, bringing thousands of participants, including Irish dancers, historic reenactors and the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums. It is considered the highlight of a weekend full of events.
This year’s grand marshal was former City Council Member Del Pepper.
Pups in plaid, colorful Scottish clans and more at the Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade! #ALXScottishWalk #visitALX pic.twitter.com/gt13woVYF8
— Visit Alexandria VA (@AlexandriaVA) December 3, 2022
It’s the most wonderful day of the year! The Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/G9uT8chYPo
— Alyia Gaskins (@Alyia4ALX) December 4, 2022
The rain stopped JUST in time and we had an amazing parade! pic.twitter.com/FTbJOFebh0
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) December 3, 2022
The 51st Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade is on the move! pic.twitter.com/0YUiqzP3NE
— Visit Alexandria VA (@AlexandriaVA) December 3, 2022
More than 450 families in Alexandria have signed up for this year’s Holiday Sharing Program with the Fund for Alexandria’s Child.
The annual program provides gift cards to low-income families, children in foster care, older adults and residents with disabilities.
“The generosity of our community helps ensure that no Alexandrians are left without during the holidays,” the city’s Department of Community and Human Service said in a release.
Eligible families are receiving services from DCHS because they are facing severe economic conditions.
“They are eligible because they are experiencing serious economic, medical or psychological distress,” DCHS said in a release. “Sometimes the only support system they have is a network of government agencies. Sometimes they have never sought assistance from others. As a member of the Alexandria community, YOU are reaching out to extend a hand to them, as they face a variety of crises and traumas.”
The deadline to sponsor a family is Dec. 5, and all donations are tax deductible. So far, about 150 families have been matched with sponsors.
Donations can also be directly made out to the Fund for Alexandria’s Child, or to the DCHS Senior Fund, and sent to:
Holiday Sharing Program
2525 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
The Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk, one of the biggest events of the year in Old Town, is marching through the city this weekend.
It will be the 51st year for the event, which features Scottish clans, dancers and bagpipes working along a route through the city. The one-mile-long parade starts at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Wolfe and St. Asaph Streets and ends up outside City Hall (301 King Street).
The event, hosted by the Campagna Center and Visit Alexandria, celebrates the city’s founding by Scottish merchants in 1749.
The parade is the centerpiece for a full weekend of holiday activities, including a parade of boats decorated with holiday lights starting at 5:30 p.m. along the city’s waterfront.
The Del Ray Menorah and Christmas tree lightings are back on Sunday.
Holiday carols will bring Santa Claus back to the neighborhood for the event, which starts at 6 p.m. at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square. The Avenue will also be lined with luminaries to honor the late Nancy Dunning.
It’s the 12th straight year that Homegrown Restaurant Group selected and cut down the tree at the Naughty Pines Nursery in Maryland, and last week it was picked up and given to the Del Ray Business Association. BMC Smoot provided the flatbed truck and a driver to haul the 30-foot-tall tree to Del Ray, and Mike Dameron of Windmill Hill donated his cherry picker crane to put it in place.
“Participants are urged to bring toiletries for Carpenter’s Shelter,” DRBA said.
Additionally, the Del Ray Candy Cane Bar Crawl is happening in Del Ray on Saturday, Dec. 10. The event will provide donations for Mount Vernon Community School’s Blessings in a Backpack program.
(Updated 2:30 p.m.) If you’ve got a Christmas list, there’s a mailbox in Alexandria dedicated to sending letters to Santa Claus and he’s responding.
For the second straight year, Bill and Stephanie Pastewait included the Christmas-red mailbox to their ever-growing holiday display in front of their home at 3103 Russell Road in Warwick Village.
Only five kids have sent in letters so far, Bill says. He encourages good boys and girls to put letters in the red mailbox with their name and return address by Thursday, Dec. 15 — enough time to get a response before Jolly Old St. Nicholas makes his annual around-the-world flight on Christmas Eve.
“If you put a letter in the mailbox, you’ll get a response from Santa,” Bill said. “Last year we only got three or so letters, and this year we’re hoping to send him more.”
The Pastewait family have also been putting the final touches on their massive holiday display, which will be lit this Thursday night.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Bill said. “It’s makes us feel really good, and there’s nothing better than seeing little kids outside the house saying how much they enjoy it. We’re happy to do it.”
Got your kilt ready? Alexandria’s Scottish Christmas Walk weekend is back.
Former City Councilwoman Del Pepper will take center stage as the grand Marshal of the 51st Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade. Record crowds are expected for the parade, which is free to the public and features dozens of Scottish clans, dancers, bagpipers and the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums.
While the parade is the main attraction, the weekend of events is capped off Friday night (Dec. 2) with the Campagna Center’s Taste of Scotland at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. It cost $200 for a single ticket and $375 for two tickets for the party, which includes “whiskey-tasting stations, hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine bars and a custom art exhibit,” according to the Campagna Center.
The Scottish Christmas Walk Parade
The one-mile-long parade starts at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Wolfe and St. Asaph Streets, and travels north to Queen Street, then turns right (east toward the Potomac River) on Queen for three blocks, turns right on Fairfax Street, right on King Street and then concludes at the reviewing stand in front of City Hall (301 King Street).
“Bagpipers include the Kiltie Band of York and the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums plus a bagpiping Santa closing the parade,” Visit Alexandria said. “A pipe band and color guard will be presented by St. Andrew’s Society of Washington, D.C., which is a charitable and social fraternity of Scottish descendants established in Alexandria in 1760, and a founding parade partner along with Campagna Center and the Old Presbyterian Meeting House.”
Not to be missed — at the conclusion of the parade, a number of pipe bands play in unison in front of the reviewing stand.
Santa at The Torpedo Factory
After the parade, the Torpedo Factory Art Center will host a holiday festival.
The event starts at 2 p.m., and art enthusiasts will have an hour-and-a-half before the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will be sailed by a fire boat to the city’s pier — just outside the Torpedo Factory — at 3:30 p.m.
Holiday Boat Parade
Keep pocket warmers handy, because the festivities end with the Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights on Saturday night.
More than 50 boats will sail in this year’s parade, which is sponsored by Amazon.
“Enjoy dockside festivities in Waterfront Park including a pop-up beer garden from Port City Brewing Company, food, activities and more,” Visit Alexandria said. “Plus, check out a new family friendly event on the North Waterfront at Canal Center and Oronoco Bay Park featuring artist vendors, music, kids activities and more.”
Old Town just got a little brighter.
On Saturday (Nov. 19), Santa Claus made his way to City Hall on the King Street Trolley to help members of City Council light the holiday tree at Market Square in front of City Hall.
Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker started things off with a proclamation, followed by speeches by Santa and Mayor Justin Wilson.
There are 40,000 lights on the 40-foot-tall tree at Market Square.
Coming up, the Del Ray holiday tree and Menorah lighting is on Sunday, December 4. Santa is also expected to make an appearance at the annual event.
Photos via Elijah Walter Griffin, Sr./Griffin Vision
Santa Claus will ride into Old Town on the King Street Trolley this Saturday night (Nov. 19) for the annual holiday tree lighting ceremony in front of City Hall.
The party starts at 6 p.m. at Market Square (301 King Street), where Santa and Mayor Justin Wilson will do their part to reduce seasonal darkness by lighting the 40,000 lights on the city’s 40-foot-tall holiday tree.
Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker will cap off the event, which will include a program of holiday carols.
Admission is free, and the event will occur rain or shine.
https://twitter.com/AlexandriaVAGov/status/1592980044879892480