The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra’s holiday program promises to bring an eclectic selection this weekend.
ASO will take the stage on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, followed by a 3 p.m. performance at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial.
The program includes selections from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” Duke Ellington’s “The Nutcracker Suite” and Mariah Carey’s version of “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
“Our special guests include both BalletNova creating some Nutcracker magic on the lip of our stage on Saturday, and the fabulous non-binary soprano of Salvadoran heritage, Helena Colindres, a recent graduate of the Peabody Institute and a rising superstar,” said ASO Music Director James Ross.
Dancers with the BalletNOVA Center For Dance will perform pieces from The Nutcracker suit and soprano Helena Colindres will sing a Swedish carol, a selection from Handel’s Messiah and more.
“Helena can, does, and will sing anything! Beloved Lester Green will be our narrator for The Night Before Christmas in a new mashup with a theme from Harry Potter,” Ross said.
Tickets run $5 for kids 18 and under and up to $90 for adults.
(Updated 1:45 p.m.) Toy donations are still needed for residents living in Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority properties.
The 13th Annual Santa’s Winter Wonderland event will provide gifts for hundreds of children 17 years old and under.
This year’s will be drive-thru and held over the course of three days (Dec. 16, 17 and 18) in the parking lot of Charles Houston Recreation Center (901 Wythe Street).
Anyone interested in donating items to the toy drive should contact Rose Boyd at rboyd@ARHA.us. Â
The toy drive is open only to ARHA residents. Participants must register online by December 12. Accommodations can be made for ARHA residents who have challenges participating in the on-site event by calling 703-549-7115.
Friends of Guest House needs pajamas and cozy socks for their female residents who are transitioning back to the community from prison.
Realtor Maureen Clyne is leading the annual effort, and it’s her third time collecting the pajamas and socks. Last year, she ran past her goal of 100 pairs by raising 130 pairs. This year’s goal is also 100 pairs.
“These women are coming out of prison and they don’t have anything,” Clyne told ALXnow. “They probably aren’t going to go out and buy themselves a new pair of pajamas for Christmas morning. It’s just one of those sort of self pampering things that probably they didn’t get a lot of for years.”
Donations of cozy socks and L-3XL pajamas can be dropped off at Coldwell Banker Realty, 310 King Street. Pickups can also be arranged by calling or texting 703-967-8884.
“What an incredible gift that will impact many, many women and make them not only feel warm, but very welcome,” former Friends of Guest House Executive Director Kari Galloway said.
Friends of Guest House serves 60 women every year in its residential program, and has helped more than 4,000 women transition from incarceration since it was founded in 1974.
Via Sapan Patel/Unsplash
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
With the holiday season approaching, a prerequisite for some family gatherings could be a negative Covid test. With Curative shutting down its testing kiosks throughout the region that might get slightly harder, but there are other resources.
The kiosks have provided around 195,000 Covid tests, the City of Alexandria said in a release, but demand for kiosk testing has dropped off dramatically since 2021.
“As of December 26, 2022, the private company Curative has chosen to close its Alexandria COVID-19 testing kiosks city-wide,” the City of Alexandria said. “Curative is closing all testing sites throughout the region before the end of the year.”
The postal service had previously offered free rapid home antigen tests, but those were suspended in September.
Several medical facilities offer testing, but require seeing a doctor for testing and can cost between $50 up to $300.
The most affordable way to get testing kits in Alexandria is from the library. Alexandria libraries carry rapid COVID-19 test kits available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a limit of seven kits per person, and the city advised locals to call the library branch to check availability.
Those phone numbers and addresses are:
- Beatley Central Library (5005 Duke Street): 703-746-1702
Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen Street): 703-746-1703
Burke Branch Library (4701 Seminary Road): 703-746-1704
Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Avenue): 703-746-1705
Scheduled Covid tests are also available for public school students and staff through Alexandria City Public Schools.
A full list of testing options is available on the city’s website.
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.
An event next month will translate a lesson in local historic architecture into sweet treats and load-bearing cookies.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N Royal Street) is hosting a gingerbread decorating event on Sunday, Dec. 18. The Office of Historic Alexandria said the confectionary class celebrates the creative concepts of close-by construction.
“Learn about local architecture as you decorate a flat “façade” (front) based on historic buildings around Gadsby’s Tavern Museum,” the city’s website said. “Ticket includes one flat gingerbread façade, all the supplies needed to decorate, and admission to the museum. Inspiring samples highlight architectural details you can recreate in candy and search for in the neighborhoods on your way home.”
The event works for both families or adult groups, with up to four people welcome per $25 ticket. Hot cider is also available for purchase during the event.
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
