What's On in Alexandria
Events, markets, games, library and parks programs in and around Alexandria, with times, prices and the organizer's own link.
Top story
Arts and exhibitions in Alexandria: November 2026
Alexandria arts in November 2026: the Torpedo Factory's Fall for Art night Nov. 13, Del Ray Artisans' $125 and Under and the symphony's Holiday Pops Dec. 19-20.
Coming up
The full month- Wed. Nov. 11 Veterans Day Ceremony
- Thu. Nov. 12 The Forces Awaken! 19th-century science demonstrations
- Fri. Nov. 13 Fall for Art! Torpedo Factory open house
- Sat. Nov. 14 Specialty Tour: Fort Ward and Civil War Music
- Sat. Nov. 14 Friendship Firehouse Museum open house
- Sun. Nov. 15 The Georgetown Saxatones
- Thu. Nov. 19 Thanksgiving turkey distribution at Meade Memorial Episcopal Church
- Thu. Nov. 19 Bienvenue Beaujolais
- Sat. Nov. 21 Alexandria Cider Festival
- Sat. Nov. 21 Alexandria Holiday Tree Lighting
- Sun. Nov. 22 Alexandria Holiday Invitational Cheer Competition
- Thu. Nov. 26 51st Alexandria Turkey Trot
Plan your weekend
Fourth of July
Alexandria Fourth of July fireworks 2026
Alexandria's fireworks come with its city birthday party at Oronoco Bay Park. In 2026 the show was 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11. Home fireworks are illegal.
Halloween
Trick-or-treat hours in Alexandria 2026
Alexandria sets no official trick-or-treat hours. Halloween 2026 has passed; this page returns in September with Old Town Trick-or-Treat and 2027 events.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day in Alexandria 2027: events, dinners, date ideas
Valentine's Day is Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027. What Alexandria held last year, the restaurants and spots Visit Alexandria suggests, and what is posted so far.
Spring break
Spring break in Alexandria 2027: ACPS dates, camps, what's open
Alexandria City Public Schools' spring break is March 22-26, 2027 (Tucker starts March 19). City camps, free things to do and what stays open that week.
Easter
Easter in Alexandria 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services
Easter is Sunday, March 28, 2027. Alexandria's city egg hunts and their 2026 dates, the Chinquapin underwater hunt, church services and where brunch is served.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day in Alexandria 2027: brunch, events and markets
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9, 2027. Alexandria's brunch spots and their weekend hours, last year's city Mother's Day event, and the Saturday market for gifts.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day in Alexandria 2027: ceremonies, closings, trash
Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, 2027. Alexandria's city ceremony honoring Rocky Versace, the national cemetery, pool openings, closings and trash changes.
Summer camps
Summer in Alexandria 2027: camps, pools and splash pads
Summer 2027 in Alexandria: city camps (registration opened in February last year), three outdoor pools from Memorial Day weekend and the free Potomac Yard fountain.
Father's Day
Father's Day in Alexandria 2027: events, car shows, brunch
Father's Day is Sunday, June 20, 2027. Alexandria's brewery and cidery taprooms, Sunday brunch, June festivals nearby on the calendar and the King Street car show.
Labor Day
Labor Day in Alexandria 2027: what's open, closed and pools
Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 6, 2027. Alexandria trash runs a day late all week, city offices close, and the last weekend for outdoor pools and the late fountain hours.
Nutcracker
Nutcracker in Alexandria 2026: dates, times, holiday shows
Two Nutcrackers in Alexandria this December, ArtSpireVa's Dec. 2-5 and Metropolitan School of the Arts' Dec. 12-13, plus A Christmas Carol and Holiday Pops.
Christmas
Alexandria Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026
The Alexandria Christmas parade, the Scottish Walk, steps off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in Old Town. Boat parade 5:30 p.m.; tree lighting Nov. 21.
Football
Friday night football in Alexandria 2026
Alexandria City High School's Titans started 7-0 and closed the regular season against South County on Nov. 6. Schedule, results, stadium rules and playoffs.
Fall festivals
Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Alexandria 2026
Fall in Alexandria: the Alexandria Cider Festival at Lloyd House 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 21, tickets $55. October's pumpkin patches and fall fests have passed.
Halloween
Halloween events in Alexandria 2026
Halloween in Alexandria: ghost tours, Poe at the Lyceum, the Del Ray parade and parties for every age. 2026 has passed; the 2027 listings arrive in September.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Alexandria 2026: turkey trot, dinners, closings
Thanksgiving 2026 in Alexandria: the 51st Turkey Trot at 9 a.m. Nov. 26, a free community meal at Meade Church, city closings and no change to trash pickup.
Black Friday
Black Friday and holiday shopping in Alexandria 2026
Holiday shopping in Alexandria 2026: Plaid Friday Nov. 27, Small Business Saturday Nov. 28, holiday markets Dec. 6 and 12, and how to get to King Street.
Christmas
Holiday lights and Christmas events in Alexandria 2026
Christmas 2026 in Alexandria: Mount Vernon by Candlelight from Nov. 27, Breakfast with Santa Dec. 12, the Santa train from King Street Station and more.
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve in Alexandria 2026: waterfront fireworks
New Year's Eve 2026 in Alexandria: city fireworks at 8 p.m. and midnight Thursday, Dec. 31, at Waterfront Park, plus what is closed and how to get there.
Brunch
Brunch in Alexandria: 8 restaurants and their brunch hours
Where to get brunch in Alexandria, from the Royal's 7 a.m. weekend brunch to waterfront tables at Vola's, with each restaurant's own posted hours and address.
Dogs
Dog-friendly Alexandria: dog parks, patios, trails and leash rules
Alexandria has seven fenced dog parks and 10 off-leash exercise areas. The leash rules, where dogs can eat on patios and the dog events on the calendar.
Kids
Kids' activities in Alexandria: playgrounds, story times, rainy days
Things to do with kids in Alexandria: free library story times, the nature center's live animals, playgrounds on the river, the Potomac Yard fountain and indoor pools.
Trails
Alexandria walking and biking trails: routes, distances, parking
Alexandria has more than 20 miles of multi-use trails, from 5.6 miles of the Mount Vernon Trail on the Potomac to Holmes Run and the Potomac Yard Trail.
Old Town
Old Town Alexandria: a guide to King Street and the waterfront
A local's guide to Old Town Alexandria: the King Street Mile, the free trolley, the Torpedo Factory, museums, the waterfront, the farmers market and parking.
Live music
Live music and nightlife in Alexandria: venues and late spots
Where to hear live music and stay out late in Alexandria: the Birchmere, Basin Street Lounge, Murphy's, a speakeasy, an arcade bar, a brewery and a cidery.
Free
Free things to do in Alexandria
Free in Alexandria: the Torpedo Factory's artist studios, the King Street Trolley, the nature center, waterfront parks, story times, the fountain and city events.
Date night
Date night in Alexandria: dinner, theater, wine bars, late spots
Date night in Alexandria: French and steakhouse dinners in Old Town, the Little Theatre, the Birchmere, cocktails upstairs, a cat cafe wine bar and Captain's Row.
George Washington Birthday Parade
George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria
Alexandria's George Washington Birthday Parade is 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, in Old Town. Free. Route, parking and no-parking zones.
St. Patrick's Day
Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade in Old Town
The 44th Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade is at noon Saturday, March 6, 2027, in Old Town. Free. The 2026 route, Metro and trolley tips.
Art on the Avenue
Art on the Avenue in Del Ray, Alexandria
Art on the Avenue fills Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray with 300-plus artists. Next: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, 2027. Trolleys, parking, kids.
Restaurant Week
Alexandria Restaurant Week: dates, prices and how it works
Alexandria Restaurant Week runs twice a year, in winter and August. The 2027 winter dates are not out yet; in 2026 dinners were $35, $45 or $55.
Restaurants
Where to eat in Alexandria: lists by category
Every Alexandria food list in one place: wings, pizza, Mexican, barbecue, breakfast and coffee, burgers, Asian, desserts, bakeries and patios.
Wings
Where to get wings in Alexandria: Duke Street, Old Town and the West End
15 places in Alexandria that list chicken wings, on Duke Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Beauregard Street, Van Dorn Street and in Old Town, with hours.
Pizza
Where to get pizza in Alexandria: Old Town, Duke Street and Carlyle
20 pizza places inside Alexandria, from King Street and the Old Town waterfront to Duke Street, Carlyle and Potomac Yard, with hours and phones.
Mexican food
Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Alexandria
18 Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants inside Alexandria, in Old Town, Del Ray, Carlyle, Van Dorn and the West End, with hours and phones.
Barbecue
Where to get barbecue in Alexandria: Duke Street, Del Ray and Carlyle
5 barbecue places inside Alexandria, on Duke Street, Quaker Lane, Mount Vernon Avenue, John Carlyle Street and Eisenhower Avenue, with hours.
Breakfast
Breakfast and coffee in Alexandria: Old Town, Del Ray and Duke Street
39 places in Alexandria for breakfast or coffee: diners, cafes, roasters, bagels, Starbucks and Dunkin', from King Street to Del Ray, with hours.
Burgers
Where to get burgers in Alexandria: King Street, Duke Street and more
16 places in Alexandria that serve burgers, from Old Town pubs and diners to Duke Street and Eisenhower Avenue grills and drive-thrus, with hours.
Sushi
Sushi and Asian restaurants in Alexandria
32 sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian and Nepali places inside Alexandria, from Old Town to Van Dorn Street, with hours.
Ice cream
Ice cream and desserts in Alexandria: Old Town and Duke Street
7 ice cream, gelato, custard and chocolate shops inside Alexandria, most on lower King Street in Old Town, with addresses and hours where posted.
Bakeries
Bakeries in Alexandria: Del Ray, Old Town and the West End
13 bakeries, bakery-cafes, bagel and doughnut shops inside Alexandria, most in Del Ray on Mount Vernon Avenue, with hours where posted.
Outdoor dining
Patios and outdoor dining in Alexandria: the waterfront and Old Town
17 Alexandria restaurants and cafes whose own sites list a patio, terrace or outdoor seating, from the Old Town waterfront to Del Ray and Duke Street.
