Tickets are being released for timed tours of four tall ships at Sails on the Potomac, one of Alexandria’s events celebrating America250.
The festival will coincide with the ALX Jazz Fest from June 12-14 at Waterfront Park (1A Prince Street). The city is planning numerous events for America250, which commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The Alexandria Clerk’s Office is expanding its wedding offerings yet again.
After a successful run last fall with its costumed “Halloweddings,” Clerk of Court Greg Parks will officiate 18 weddings aboard the Tall Ship Providence on Friday, May 15, at Waterfront Park in Old Town.
On This Day: Alexandria’s Role in Creating Arlington National Cemetery — On this day in 1862, Alexandria leased land at the west end of Wilkes Street to the Federal government, establishing the nation’s first military cemetery. As Civil War casualties mounted, the cemetery filled rapidly—nearly 4,000 graves within a year, mostly soldiers who died while receiving medical care in the city. When burial space ran out, Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs proposed a solution that would become iconic: burying the war dead on the grounds of Arlington House, Robert E. Lee’s vacated estate. That decision gave birth to Arlington National Cemetery. [Historic Alexandria]
Eight ARHA Commissioners Resign Ahead of Deadline — Eight of nine Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority commissioners resigned Tuesday in response to a demand from Mayor Alyia Gaskins and City Council that they step down by today’s deadline or face formal removal proceedings. City Council will meet today at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers to vote on an emergency ordinance amending the city code and make immediate appointments to the Board. [ALXnow]
Good morning, Alexandria! Today is Sunday, Aug. 17, the 229th day of 2025. There are 136 days left in the year.
⛈️ Today’s weather: Sunny, with a high near 94 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Good morning, Alexandria!
👋 Today is Thursday, July 24, the 205th day of 2025. There are 160 days left in the year.
Running along the Alexandria waterfront with the Tall Ship Providence in the background (staff photo by James Cullum)[/caption]
Alexandria is welcoming a wave of new developments across the city, from waterfront dining to boutique retail and major upcoming events that promise to draw visitors from around the world.
Claire Mouledoux, Visit Alexandria's senior vice president of marketing and communications, presented the city's latest attractions during the "What's New 2025" event at Virginia Tech Innovation Campus in Potomac Yard on Tuesday.
The Tall Ship Providence Foundation will soon be floating an expansion plan past the Alexandria Planning Commission. The proposal would add outdoor dining with alcohol and live entertainment to its offerings along the waterfront.
The proposal by the nonprofit to amend its special use permit would expand its current footprint along the Potomac River at Waterfront Park to accommodate a portable bar, 78 seats, and an area for live music performers.
Among many of the Halloween happenings around Alexandria this year is a new one on the waterfront: a conversion of the tall ship Providence into a ghost ship.
The Saturday (Oct. 28) before Halloween, the Providence is set to be decked out for the spooky season and will set sail along the river with a spooky party.
The Tall Ship Providence sailed up the Potomac River to its new permanent home at Waterfront Park in Alexandria on Tuesday, and the floating Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center will start offering interactive tours for the public starting this Saturday, June 17.
The effort to build the maritime center goes back to 2018, and construction started last year. In April, the center was floated up from Baltimore and final touches have been added to the two cottages housing an education center where visitors will get an immersive lesson about sailing during the Revolutionary War.
While Gen Z has decided, correctly, that Alexandria is superior to D.C., at least one local attraction is headed to the further shore for much of this year.
The Tall Ship Providence is planning to move to The Wharf for the “2022 cruise season” while construction is ongoing at the Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center in Old Town.
A barge, new pier and cottages are still joining the Tall Ship Providence as part of the historical exhibit, but the pandemic has forced the ship operates to reduce the scope of their nautical ambitions.
The Tall Ship Providence Foundation is seeking city permission at a Planning Commission meeting on March 2 to amend earlier amendments to improve the planned design and layout of pier, cottages and barge. The Maritime Center section of the Tall Ship Providence was originally approved last March.
