Old Town

Around Town

Boutiques to hold ‘Shop the Checkers’ to welcome Croatian team to Alexandria

By Emily Leayman
Croatian flag (via Niels Bosman/Unsplash)

In honor of the Croatian National Football Team making Alexandria its home base, boutiques in Old Town will be decked out in the Croatian checkered flag and offer specials inspired by the country.

Old Town Boutiques, a coalition of independently-owned boutiques in Old Town, will host Shop the Checkers Boutique Week from Sunday, June 14 through Sunday, June 28. Participating retailers will display special Croatian red-and-white checkerboard crest flags at their storefronts and offer experiences drawn from Croatian culture.

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Around Town

From Croatian festival to Best of the West: Guide to Alexandria’s June 5-7 weekend events

By Emily Leayman
Taste of Del Ray in 2023 (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

The first weekend of June brings plenty of summer happenings, from a welcome celebration for the Croatian National Football Team to other food festivals, concerts and tours.

Events like Best of the West, Flavors and Sounds of Croatia in Alexandria and the sold-out Taste of Del Ray will keep foodies satisfied this weekend. History fans will enjoy the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Walking Tour. Musicians will also treat the community to free concerts with Alexandria Citizens Band: A Journey Through American Music and LIVE at the Lyceum: Piano & Friends Concert.

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Around Town

Alexandria author set to release eighth ‘Old Town Mystery’ novel in mid-June

By James Cullum
John Adam Wasowicz, author of the Old Town Mystery series (courtesy of John Adam Wasowicz)

Alexandria writer John Adam Wasowicz’s eighth novel in his Old Town Mystery series is set against a murder on July 4.

In “Patriots Circle,” Wasowicz’s protagonist, attorney Mo Katz, is back investigating another murder. Katz is a modern day Sherlock Holmes, working out of his small office at 221B Wales Alley. The book will be released on June 15.

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Around Town

‘Now or Never’ art installation at Waterfront Park to align with sun on summer solstice

By James Cullum
A man walks by the “Now or Never” installation by Alicia Eggert, which marks the eighth installment of the Site See public art series at Waterfront Park (staff photo by James Cullum)

Cameras will be rolling on Sunday, June 21 at Alexandria’s “Now or Never” installation at Waterfront Park in Old Town.

That’s the day of the summer solstice — the longest day of the year — and artist Alicia Eggert designed the installation at 1 Prince Street to align with the sun’s path from sunrise to sunset.

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Around Town

Alexandria to mark Pride Month with fair, markets, prom and bar crawl

By Emily Leayman
Alexandria’s 8th Annual Pride Fair at Market Square on Saturday, June 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

An earlier version of this story said Metro would have a shutdown the weekend of June 19-21, but Metro has finished its Crystal City station project and cancelled the upcoming shutdown.

Members of Alexandria’s LGBTQ+ community are celebrating Pride Month with events throughout June.

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News

JUST IN: Old Town jewelry store theft suspect arrested in church basement

By James Cullum
Alexandria police cruiser (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A 23-year-old man suspected of smashing the front window of a jewelry store on King Street in Old Town this morning (June 4) was arrested a half hour after the incident in the basement of nearby Christ Church.

The Alexandria Police Department was notified that a suspect in a mask and wearing all black smashed a front window to the jewelry store in the 600 block of King Street and fled the scene on foot, according to radio dispatches.

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Around Town

From spring markets to Little Birdie preview: Guide to Alexandria’s May 29-31 weekend events

By Emily Leayman
Arts and Craft Fair at Tavern Square (via Made in ALX/Facebook)

The last weekend of May brings a variety of activities, from spring markets to the city’s D-Day tribute.

Shoppers can check out the Carlyle Crossing Spring Hue Market Friday and Volunteer Alexandria and Made in ALX Arts & Crafts Fairs Sunday. Foodies will get a chance Saturday to try Little Birdie before it opens in Del Ray later in June.

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News

Hotel Heron in Old Town wants live DJ music at its rooftop restaurant

By James Cullum
The proposed area for live entertainment at the Hotel Heron’s rooftop restaurant at 699 Prince Street in Old Town (via City of Alexandria)

The Hotel Heron in Old Town wants to add live DJ entertainment at its rooftop restaurant, according to a plan going before the Planning Commission next week.

The 134-room boutique hotel at 699 Prince Street, near the intersection with S. Washington Street, opened in 2024 and is owned by the Aparium Hotel Group. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Good Fortune, opened soon after, and now the hotel owners are asking the city to approve DJ and live music Thursday to Sunday nights.

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Around Town

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream to have $1 scoops at Old Town opening in June

By Katie Taranto
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream options (courtesy of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream)

Just in time for the hot summer months, Old Town’s ice cream scene continues to expand with the arrival of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

The New York City-based ice cream brand has announced it will hold a grand opening on Thursday, June 18 for its new shop at 400 King Street. Customers can receive celebratory $1 scoops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on opening day, and the first 100 guests will get a branded tote bag.

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Around Town

Alexandria kicks off World Cup welcome with Croatian cultural celebration at Waterfront Park

By Emily Leayman
A bench at Waterfront Park in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

The City of Alexandria will celebrate the Croatian National Team’s use of the city as a home base during the World Cup with a welcome event next month.

The city will host “Flavors & Sounds of Croatia – Alexandria” from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, June 6 at Waterfront Park (1 Prince Street) to celebrate Croatian heritage. The event is free to attend. The Croatian National Football Team will not be in attendance.

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Around Town

Old Town businesses host ‘Analog Bag Weekend’ for screen-free hobbies

By Katie Taranto
Display at Penny Post (via Penny Post/Facebook)

An earlier version of the story said “Analog Bag Weekend” would occur this weekend, but businesses have updated the event timing to June 12-14.

Five local businesses in Old Town are hosting a weekend of discounts to encourage hands-on, screen-free activities.

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