The Nightmare on the Avenue is over, so to speak.

The seasonal pop-up bar Nightmare on the Avenue closed after nearly two months of serving Halloween-inspired cocktails and food. Now the team from the Homegrown Restaurant Group will spend the next few weeks transforming the space into the Christmas-themed “Joy On The Avenue.”

“We are pleased to bring the third installment of Joy on the Avenue back to Del Ray, and exited to start spreading cheer sometime around Thanksgiving,” HRG owner Bill Blackburn told ALXnow.

The pop-up is located between HRG’s other Del Ray restaurants Pork Barrel BBQ and Holy Cow Del Ray on Mount Vernon Avenue.

The holiday concept will stay up until New Year’s, and will be transformed for the winter and spring.

The upcoming Monday is Labor Day, so those sticking around town for the weekend should be aware of some closures ahead.

Most city services are impacted by the holiday, from the local animal shelter to courts.

On the bright side: parking enforcement is suspended for metered spaces, residential permit parking districts, and other areas with signed parking time limits. Note: this suspension of enforcement does not apply to areas where parking is normally prohibited, like no parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities.

• DASH: The DASH bus network will be operating on a Sunday schedule on Monday. The King Street Trolley will be running, but only every 15 minutes, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA): The AWLA will be closed on Monday. For animal emergencies or wildlife concerns, call 703 746 4444.
• Libraries: All Alexandria library branches are closed on Monday
• City Services: All Health Department and most recreation centers will be closed on Monday. The Impound Facility will also be closed.
• Water Facilities: The Old Town and Warwick pools will be open from 10 a.m.-4:45 p.m. on Monday. The Potomac Yard Park Interactive Fountain will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Courts: All of the Alexandria courts are closed on Monday.
• DMV: All DMV locations are closed on Monday.
• Historic Alexandria: The Gadsby’s Tavern Museum; Freedom House Museum, and the Stabler–Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday. All other city museums will be closed.
• Schools: All schools and administrative offices are closed on Monday.
• Torpedo Factory: The Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Also, ALXnow won’t be reporting on Monday, so if you want to do something and not have it be reported on: Monday is the day to do it.

Yesterday, around the region, residents of Arlington and Fairfax lit off fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, fireworks remain illegal.

The Alexandria Fire Department cited safety as a major factor, noting a 25% increase in fireworks injuries in the U.S. between 2006 and 2021. Currently, fireworks are only allowed at city-led events like the birthday celebration on July 8.

According to the fire department:

In 2021, an estimated 11,500 people required emergency room treatment in U.S. hospitals due to accidents involving fireworks. More than 70% of those injuries occurred in the weeks before and after the Fourth of July holiday. Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Russell Furr explained that using fireworks can also threaten businesses and residential property. In 2022, AFD responded to a balcony fire that was a result of fireworks landing on balcony furniture.

In recent years, the impact on animals has also been noted as a concern of fireworks, with impacts from animals startled by the noise to microplastics entering the water system.

Should Alexandria change its laws to allow locals to use fireworks?

This upcoming Independence Day, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is bringing back the SoberRide program.

The program runs from 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4th, to 4 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5.

“During this twelve-hour period, area residents ages 21 and older celebrating with alcohol may download the Lyft app to their phones then enter the SoberRide® code in the app’s ‘Payment’ tab (under the ‘Add Lyft Pass’ option) to receive their no-cost (up to $15) safe transportation home,” WRAP said in a release. “WRAP’s 2023 Independence Day SoberRideⓇ promo code will be posted at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4th on www.SoberRide.com.”

Last year, 435 people used SoberRide on the 4th of July.

“Nearly 40% of U.S. traffic fatalities during the Independence Day holiday involve drunk drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” said Kurt Erickson, WRAP’s president, said in the release. “And July 4th’s nighttime hours are of particular concern as 82% of fatal drunk driving crashes in the U.S. during the Independence Day holiday occur at night.”

As another quick safety reminder: fireworks are allowed in Fairfax and Arlington but not in Alexandria.

This upcoming Monday is Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. Around Alexandria, that means some services will be reduced or fully unavailable.

Yesterday, the City of Alexandria released a list of affected local services.

The highlights are that parking enforcement will be suspended across the city for metered spaces, residential permit parking districts, and areas with signed parking limits. However, this suspension of enforcement only applies to legal parking spaces. Parking in areas with no parking signs, like parking in loading zones or parking in spaces for persons with disabilities without the proper permit, will still get a ticket.

Because of the nature of the holiday, Alexandria’s Black History Museum and Freedom House will have extended hours for those looking to become more educated on local Black history.

“On Monday June 19, enjoy special extended hours from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Alexandria Black History Museum and Freedom House Museum,” a release from the city said. “At 10 a.m., come to the Black History Museum for a special encore Storytime and craft with Lillian S. Patterson.”

Alexandria’s courts, Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, the DMV and the impound facility will all be closed.

The full release is below:

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The Office of Historic Alexandria is going all out for Juneteenth this year with four events, a storytelling event, and more around the city.

Juneteenth, celebrated June 19, marks the end of slavery in the United States.

There are several city-led programs around Alexandria between this weekend and next marking the occasion with programs available for all ages.

According to the Office of Historic Alexandria:

• Tales for Young Historians: Saturday, June 10, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Beatley Library (5005 Duke Street) — The Alexandria Black History Museum and the Alexandria Library invite you to a collaborative event celebrating Juneteenth. All are welcome, but the event is geared toward children ages 5-8.
• Juneteenth at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum: Friday, June 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum (105 N Union Street, Unit 327) — Visit the Alexandria Archaeology Museum for a hands-on activity related to a free Black site excavated in Alexandria. The activity is paired with the new Lee Street Site permanent archaeology exhibit. The Lee Street Site answers questions like: what is urban archaeology; what did the city look like in the past; and what do archaeologists do? The newly designed exhibit centers the experiences of free and enslaved African Americans in Alexandria.
• Douglass Cemetery Remembrance: Saturday, June 17, 10 -11:30 a.m. at Douglass Cemetery (105 N Union Street) — Join supporters and volunteers at this historic Black cemetery to place purple ribbons of remembrance on the gravestones and attend a short ceremony following in honor of those buried in Douglass Cemetery and the Juneteenth holiday. In partnership with the Social Responsibility Group (SRG) and the Friends of Douglass Cemetery.
• Washington Revels Jubilee Voices Concert – Singing the Journey: Juneteenth Joy: Monday, June 19, 2 p.m. at Market Square (300 King Street) —  Enjoy traditional African American songs of struggle and freedom with the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices ensemble. The ensemble is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions – presenting songs and stories of struggle and perseverance, trials and triumphs, as expressed through a cappella music, drama, and dance. Inaugurated in 2010, the group now performs regularly at heritage sites throughout the Washington D.C. area, singing, sharing, and learning the stories of the people in those communities. Event is weather dependent.

The Alexandria Black History Museum is also hosting extended hours on Monday, June 19, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. At 10 a.m., the museum is hosting a storytelling event with Alexandria Living Legend Lillian Patterson.

There are also self-guided tours around Alexandria for locals hoping to explore more of the city’s Black history.

The busy holiday season is coming to a close, but there are ways locals can both get good deals for merchandise in Alexandria and support local businesses moving into a slow season.

Retail shopping tends to hit a fever pitch just before Christmas, but some local business owners said post-holiday shopping can still be a rewarding experience in a very different way.

“You’re going to get the best sales,” said Chris Ouellette from The Old Town Shop (104 S Union Street). “If you’re looking to restock for the next year, this is the time to come and buy holiday merchandise for next year because everything is 50% off and we’re trying to minimize inventory before the new year.”

Alexandria has a fair number of people who go all-out on their holiday decorations, and Ouellette said this is the best time for them to get ahead on next year’s decorations.

“A lot of people are big decorators who want to upgrade for the next year,” Ouellette said. “This is the time to shop.”

Shopping early for holiday decorations is also a boon for local businesses with leftover material on their shelves.

“That’s just merchandise that sits around for another year that isn’t going to sell,” Ouellette said. “Unless you’re The Christmas Attic, Christmas stuff doesn’t usually sell in May or June.”

Frank Kozuch, owner of Whistle Stop Toy & Hobby (1719 Centre Plaza) said sleds are the big seller in the post-Christmas holiday season. Alexandria hasn’t seen substantial snowfall yet this winter, but traditionally sees at least a light dusting in January.

Whistle Stop Toy & Hobby also sells items with a year-round appeal, like board games, Lego sets, and toy rockets. Kozuch said he mixes some newer games in with classics like Monopoly and Clue, but said keeping up with the latest gaming zeitgeist can be time-consuming.

“The problem with games is there are a lot of individual people that create games, so there are hundreds of those types of games and you have to search to buy them individually,” Kozuch. “There are really hundreds, some just produced from someone’s basement.”

The owner of a store in Old Town told ALXnow anonymously that they reached out to other local business owners and compiled a list of things local shoppers should keep in mind:

We talked to locally owned retailers this week about the week after Christmas – a week known for returns and long lines at the register as people use their time off to “correct” gifts that may not have been quite right. Here are some words of advice that our small business community gave:

• Shop! The best way to support us this week is to get out and shop with us.
• Be patient with us if the shop is busy. We have small teams, and they are stretched thin during and after the holidays. Hiring “seasonal” help is usually not possible for a small business whose teams have to have extensive knowledge of the merchandise and are not just capable of standing at a cash register.
• If you loved your gift, spread the word on social media. Tag the small business that it came from!
• Consider doing an exchange rather than a return!
• Do your returns within a week but be sure to check the return policy of the store. Many are unable to return items purchased on sale or only allow exchanges or store credit. One boutique reported that they are unable to take a return on any product that has been opened, as their vendors will not take the item back from them so they would take the full hit on any return of opened product. Remember that the employees working are unable to break return policies (or in some cases their point of sale won’t even allow it).
• If something doesn’t work properly, check first with the manufacturer. There is a difference between a warranty and a return. Some businesses are able to do warranty replacements for some of their brands. Others are told by their suppliers to send the customer directly to them. It really depends on the item and the shop it was purchased from. Don’t expect every retailer to be able to hand you a new item to replace the broken one.
• Small retailers don’t have communications or service departments. When you contact a business via text, chat, google, facebook, Instagram, etc there is likely one person that answers all of those apps. They don’t work 24/7. It could take some time to get a response that.
• Understand that the people behind the business and those in the store are also human. Try to be empathetic. If we have an off day, don’t go immediately to Yelp to leave a bad review. Reach out to us with your experience so that we have a chance to correct it.
• If using one of those visa or amex gift cards to pay, please know how much is available on it before you get to the register. Waiting for you to check an app or call the number on the back of the card will hold up the line, and the card will be declined if we attempt to charge more than what is available on it.
• Please do not ask for price adjustments at a locally owned business.
• Hello and how are you can go a long way.
• Don’t want that thing in your hand? Give it to an employee rather than trying to put it back or leaving it in a random spot in the store.
• Don’t make it a family affair. Small boutiques are… small. Coming in to do business with a trail of five family members will possiblyh fill a small shop and those loved ones spend that time looking uncomfortable and in the way.
• Impact – employee morale. After working during COVID, retail employees are more stressed than ever. Angry and bullying customers impact their stress levels and their desire to work in this industry.

James Cullum contributed to this story

If you typically leave your trash out on Monday, you might want to leave it inside another day.

While New Year’s Day is on Sunday, the holiday is also observed on Monday. As such, recycling, trash, and yard collection next week will “slide” back one day.

Mondays collection will be on Tuesday, Tuesday’s collection on Wednesday, and so on.

The household Hazardous Waste Electronic Collection Drop-off Center (3224 Colvin Street) will be open on Saturday, Dec. 31, but will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2.

Given that it’s the week after Christmas, some locals are still probably figuring out what to do with their trees.

Natural Christmas trees can be set out for collection between Tuesday, Jan. 3, through Tuesday, Jan. 31.

According to the city website, to prepare trees for collection:

• Remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights and stands.
• Do not place in plastic bags.
• Place the tree at your regular yard waste collection point by 6:00 a.m. on your trash collection day.

Artificial trees can be set out next to trash containers on collection day.

Next week's trash, recycling, and yard collection will not be collected on Monday, January 2 due to observed New Year's Day and "slides" one day later. Visit https://t.co/k913jORqMm for more information and to view this year's holiday collection schedule. pic.twitter.com/g8P3cEn4tB

— Alexandria Transportation & Environmental Services (@AlexandriaVATES) December 29, 2022

It’s a holiday weekend and you aren’t sure where to take your friends and family.

If they’ve visited you before, you’ve probably already taken them to Old Town, and there’s a hint of disappointment in their eyes when you suggest revisiting the waterfront or Captain’s Row.

One local asked where to take some friends and family visiting from out of town: here were some responses from other Alexandrians.

Look, it’s Friday before a holiday weekend: nobody is winning any Pulitzers here.

What are your favorite things to do in Alexandria with out-of-town visitors? Trying to figure out how to show off our lovely city to holiday guests, beyond the obvious (King St/Old Town waterfront).

— Becky Hammer (@beckyhammer) December 21, 2022

Indoors

Assuming the bitter cold keeps up over the weekend, your friends and family might prefer not to explore the great outdoors around Alexandria this weekend. In that case, here are a few indoor activities:

• Port City Brewing (3950 Wheeler Avenue): The brewery has special extended hours around the holiday. It’s open from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24. It’s closed on Sunday, but is open from noon to 9 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 26.
• Lost Boy Cider (317 Hooffs Run Drive): The cidery is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday but, like Port City, is closed on Sunday.
• The Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Avenue): No shows are scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, but actor and musician Charles Esten has a show tonight at 7:30 p.m.
• Local Museums: From the new Freedom House museum to the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary, there are several museums around the city (granted, most of them are in Old Town) continuing to host tours over the holiday weekend.

Outside

Provided the temperature unexpectedly warms up or your family is more resilient to the cold, there are several outdoor activities around the city.

• Fort Ward (4301 W Braddock Road): The most commonly suggested response to the original query was Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site. The former Union Army bastion during the Civil War later became a home for those who came to Alexandria to escape slavery — before being forced out by the city in the 1960s.
• Mount Vernon (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway): While not in the City of Alexandria, it’s a major nearby attraction with extensive tours both indoors and outdoors. The grounds will close today at 3 p.m. due to weather, but will open at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
• Gravelly Point: Also not in Alexandria, but a great nearby spot for watching planes take off and land at National Airport.
• Manumission Tour: The local company offers tours of Alexandria with a look at the city’s history through the lens of its Black residents, both enslaved and freemen.
• Mount Vernon Avenue: If your friends or family are tired of Old Town, take them to Del Ray to explore the variety of drinks, dinners and desserts on offer along the avenue.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) says drivers heading out for the holidays should consider starting a little early, with heavy storms likely to affect travel over the next few days.

In an alert, VDOT said today is the best day to travel, given the forecast.

“Drivers should expect roads to be impacted Thursday and Friday,” VDOT said. “Today will be the best day for holiday travel. Adjust travel plans and avoid all nonessential travel during the height of the storm. This helps to avoid deteriorating conditions and to allow crews room to work.”

VDOT said crews are already pretreating and brining roads, with trucks deployed early Thursday morning to treat roads as needed.

According to the release:

Please continue to monitor forecasts closely as forecasts can improve or worsen quickly. The National Weather Service forecast shows winter weather will impact the region from overnight Wednesday through Friday. The forecast shows the potential for periods of freezing rain and sleet, as well as below-freezing temperatures, heavy rain, and high winds. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for western Loudoun County starting at 4 a.m. Thursday.

Additionally, the National Weather Service has issued an areal flood watch for Alexandria, advising locals not to drive through water on roadways and to avoid small streams.