(Updated 10:30 a.m.) Your Christmas tree was beautiful, but it’s 2020 and it’s time for the tree to go.
Starting today (Thursday), Christmas trees placed on residential streets will be collected by the city. Pick up will run until Friday, Jan. 17.
Alexandria is gearing up for its 25th annual First Night celebration tomorrow (Tuesday).
First Night is the city’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration featuring various local businesses and civic organizations. Events are scheduled to take place across Old Town. Kids entertainment is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. while music starts at 7 p.m.
A half dozen businesses and residences in Old Town have been selected by a local, very niche group as the best exterior holiday decorations in the historic district.
The Old Town Walled Garden Club announced the winners of its 51st annual decorating contest. The contest evaluates decorations by the originality of design, scale, color, contrast and attractiveness from the street.
Parking at metered spaces will be free throughout the city on Christmas Day this week.
The police will not be enforcing parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts, and other areas with parking time limits on Wednesday (Dec. 25), according to the city’s website.
Where better to celebrate the ugly sweaters so associated with Christmas than Alexandria’s yarn store Fibre Space?
At a free event tonight (Tuesday) from 608 p.m. at Fibre Space (1319 Prince Street), guests can either wear their ugly sweaters or finish working on their sweaters with friends.
Starting on Dec. 20, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) will offer its annual Holiday SoberRide program nightly from 10 p.m.-4 a.m., until Jan. 1.
In addition to Alexandria, the program is offered to rides in D.C., Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties in Virginia.
The 4th annual Del Ray Candy Cane Bar Crawl will bring holiday revelers to Mount Vernon Avenue this weekend.
From 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, fifteen restaurants across Del Ray will have specials on holiday cocktails and beers. Raffles, a costume contest, and a photo booth are planned for different restaurants, with trolley transportation connecting the different venues.
A sing-along celebration this weekend will feature a live band backing up you — the audience — as the chorus.
Alexandria’s 2019 Holiday Sing-Along, hosted by the Del Ray United Methodist Church at 100 Windsor Avenue, is a free holiday concert presented by the Alexandria Citizens Band.
On Wednesday, Dec. 18, Waters is scheduled to return to the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue) for an event titled “A John Waters Christmas: Filthier & Merrier 2019 Tour” with the tagline “It’ll Stuff Your Turkey.”
Tickers are $55 and the show is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
The waterfront will sparkle tomorrow (Saturday) as dozens of ships decked out in Christmas lights cruise along the shoreline.
This year is the 20th annual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. Festivities are planned throughout the afternoon and early evening, from 2-8 p.m. Planned activities include a pop-up beer garden from Port City Brewing Company, a bookmark-making station from Old Town Books and holiday music from 97.1 WASH-FM.
Next Saturday, the Old Town trolly will run from the Metro to the Waterfront by way of the North Pole.
On Saturday, Dec. 14, Santa is scheduled to make an appearance at a King Street Trolly parked outside City Hall (301 King Street). The trolly is a free, year-round shuttle along King Street operated by the DASH bus service.
