Despite spots of rain, thousands of people attended the 31st annual Art on the Avenue festival in Del Ray on Saturday (Oct. 6).
Hundreds of juried artists sold their work, live music was performed on four stages and the event welcomed a number of new businesses to the neighborhood. The event also shut down Mount Vernon Avenue from Hume to Bellefonte Avenues.
From music to dance to all sorts of arts and crafts, Del Ray’s biggest arts festival will have plenty to draw visitors to the neighborhood on Saturday (Oct. 3).
The 31st annual Art on the Avenue, which closes Mount Vernon Avenue from Hume to Bellefonte Avenues the first Saturday of every October, will host more than 300 artists and dozens of activities for all ages from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival has become one of Del Ray’s most important events. The Del Ray Business Association estimates attendance could reach 50,000.
If you’re staying in town this weekend, there’s plenty to look forward to from Alexandria’s lineup of events.
Between the Summer Sidewalk Sale in Old Town, Bands & Brews in Del Ray and the ongoing Alexandria Restaurant Week across the city, there’s no shortage of event options.
Thousands will flock to Del Ray this weekend for drinks and live music at the returning Bands & Brews Bar Crawl.
The sixth annual event will take place from 12:30-6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15. Hosted by the Del Ray Business Association, the event will provide a portion of proceeds to The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, which provides scholarships and personalized college advising to students seeking college, career and technical education.
After announcing its impending closure last month, The Dog Store on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray has had its lease extended to January.
Owner Paul Haire confirmed to ALXnow that Ray Mahmood, the new owner of 2301 Mount Vernon Avenue, extended the pet shop’s lease to Jan. 6, 2027. Even though his rent is going up significantly, Haire credited former Mayor Bill Euille and locals Gayle Reuter and Bill Blackburn with convincing Mahmood to extend the lease.
Alexandria leaders were on hand Tuesday morning to cut the ribbon at Del Ray’s newest restaurant, Little Birdie.
After months of interior renovations, Matt Sloan and Eric Brannon opened the doors to their newest venture at 1504B Mount Vernon Avenue. Brannon and Sloan also own Matt & Tony’s All Day Kitchen + Bar (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue), which opened in 2022 across the street and is a finalist for a regional RAMMY Award. Sloan is a former managing partner of Alexandria Restaurant Partners, which owns The Majestic, Mia’s Italian Kitchen, Ada’s on the River and numerous other Alexandria restaurants.
Spice Kraft Indian Bistro‘s butter chicken pot pie and avocado bhel chaat won both the Judges’ Choice Award and the People’s Choice Award at the 17th annual Taste of Del Ray on Sunday (June 7).
Under a hot sun, 17 local restaurants competed at the sold-out event in the Mount Vernon Recreation Center athletic fields. This year’s celebrity judge was Todd O’Leary, CEO of Visit Alexandria.
Two local businesses in Del Ray held ribbon cuttings at their new storefronts Saturday (May 16).
The Del Ray Business Association hosted the ribbon cuttings for Lifestyle & Performance Fitness (202 E. Custis Avenue) and the Department of Beer and Wine (2805 Mount Vernon Avenue). The events were attended by City Council Members John Taylor Chapman and Sandy Marks, along with DRBA president Lauren Fisher and board member Gayle Reuter.
Tickets are now on sale for the Taste of Del Ray food festival, a yearly event spotlighting the neighborhood’s food scene.
Now in its 17th year, the event put on by the Del Ray Business Association is scheduled from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 7, at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center fields (2701 Commonwealth Avenue). The event will feature samples and live music by Mars Rodeo as attendees vote on their favorite bites.
Two local businesses in Del Ray plan to cut the ribbon on their spaces later this month, celebrating new spots that have opened over the past few months.
The Del Ray Business Association will host ribbon cuttings at Lifestyle & Performance Fitness (202 E. Custis Avenue) and the Department of Beer and Wine (2805 Mount Vernon Avenue) on Saturday, May 16.
This will be the first year the Del Ray Business Association is not hosting First Thursday block parties since it founded the event nearly 30 years ago.
Del Ray’s First Thursdays have been turned over to the Del Ray Citizens Association, which runs other neighborhood events such as last weekend’s Del Ray GardenFest and the upcoming Del Ray House and Garden Tour on Saturday, May 9.
