Festivals, New Public Art, Cherry Blossoms and More in Alexandria, VA
As the weather warms and cherry blossoms take center stage, springtime events abound in Alexandria, Virginia, located minutes from Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River and voted a Travel + Leisure Best Place to Travel in 2023 and a Condé Nast Traveler Best Small City in the U.S. 2022. Spring brings fresh happenings including a new waterfront public art installation, Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson. The annual Old Town Alexandria Historic Homes & Gardens Tour, part of the 90th Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Al fresco festivals include the Alexandria Old Town Springtime Art Festival in John Carlyle Square and the Old Town Festival of Speed & Style on King Street. A new Del Ray Dog Fest joins the waterfront ALX Dog Walk for a canine theme in April. Cherry blossom-themed offerings, art and history events round out one of Alexandria’s most beautiful seasons.
For more spring events and activities in Alexandria, see the listings below and learn more at VisitAlexandria.com/Spring .
Featured April Events
Through November
Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson
Admission: Free
Waterfront Park
1A Prince Street
visitalexandriava.com/public-art
In late March, Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson was unveiled as the fifth temporary public art installation on Old Town Alexandria’s waterfront, part of the City of Alexandria’s Site See: New Views in Old Town series. Created by Jamaican-born, New York-based award-winning artist Nina Cooke John of Studio Cooke John, the installation is inspired by the ships uncovered on Alexandria’s waterfront in 2015 and 2018 and the many layers of history that are not readily seen. The installation forms an abstracted ship’s hull with steel vertical elements that rise and bend, referencing the curve of the hull’s frame. Visitors can stand within the space and imagine a time in Alexandria’s history when the ships carried not only cargo like tobacco, molasses, rum and limes, but also enslaved people who were traded as part of the transatlantic and domestic slave trades. The outer blue of the installation is contrasted with an orange inner surface depicting text pulled from ships’ manifests listing items like herring, coconuts and gin, alongside names and descriptions of enslaved people, such as “Jane Tailor, female, 5’ 2”.” Also listed are “two boxes of oranges” and “Admonia Jackson.”
April 15th
90th Old Town Alexandria Historic Homes & Gardens Tour
10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission: $55 per person
Begins at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Rectory
411 Duke Street
Overlooking the Potomac and within minutes of our nation’s capital, Alexandria was the third city in the country to create a historic district to preserve its downtown. Part of Historic Garden Week in Virginia, this walking tour includes private townhomes and secluded gardens located along the tree lined streets of the historic district, boutique shopping, and fine dining, which are all just steps away. In addition, the tour ticket allows access to two Garden Club of Virginia restoration projects, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Green Springs Gardens, along with other local places of interest. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.com.
More April Events & Tours
Through April 8th
March150 Art Exhibition
Admission: Free
Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street
703-746-4570
Torpedo Factory Art Center’s annual exhibition and art sale returns for the 13th year featuring more than 100 works of art priced at $150 by local artists in the Target Gallery. Each piece of artwork is sized at 10” x 10”.
April 1st
“The Grandest Congress”: The French and Indian War in Alexandria
12 to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free; $5 suggested donation
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax Street
703-549-2997
In 1755, Major General Edward Braddock, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty’s Forces in North America, lodged at Carlyle House. While staying at Carlyle House, he convened a meeting of five colonial governors. One of Braddock’s objectives was to secure funding for his upcoming campaign against the French. Carlyle called this gathering “the Grandest Congress … ever known on the Continent.” Visitors to the Carlyle House will experience Braddock’s visit and the French and Indian War firsthand through costumed interpreters.
April 2nd
Del Ray Dog Fest
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Free
George Washington Middle School Parking Lot
1005 Mount Vernon Avenue
Del Ray Dog Fest is a springtime festival celebrating dogs, their owners and the Del Ray community. This fun outdoor event which will include dog-centered activities, doggie menu items, live music and vendors and will be capped with Yappy Hour specials along the Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The event is dog friendly and will take place outdoors, rain or shine.
April 22nd
Discovering Alexandria Architecture Walking Tour
10:00 AM
Admission: $20 per person
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax Street
703-549-2997
Alexandria has grown from a small town in the 18th century to a bustling small city in the 21st century. Join for a tour of Alexandria and explore the various architectural styles that adorn the city streets. Reservations are required as space is limited. Please wear comfortable shoes for this 1.5-hour guided tour. Tours are held rain or shine unless there is severe weather.
April 14th
The Late Shift Art Night: Cherry Blossom Jubilee
7 to 10 p.m.
Admission: Free
Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street
703-746-4590
torpedofactory.org
In partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Torpedo Factory Art Center invites visitors to explore the celebrated cherry blossoms through art demonstrations, music and interactive activities among three floors of open studios and galleries.
15th
Garden Day Tours at Carlyle House
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Free, suggested $5 donation towards garden restoration
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax Street
(703) 549-2997
Enjoy open house-style tours of the garden at Carlyle House as part of the Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Experts will be on site to answer questions about working within the confines of a historic garden in an ever-changing climate. Tours are continuous throughout the day. No reservations are required.
April 22nd through July 15th
Alexander D’Agostino: “A Shrine for the Forgotten” Exhibition
Admission: Free
Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street
703-746-4570
Baltimore-based solo artist exhibition recipient, Alexander D’Agostino, presents “A Shrine for the Forgotten.” The work explores queer histories and images, through performance, installation, and reclaiming material from queer archives and other cultural resources related to the historic marginalization of LGBTQ people.
April 22nd through October 31st
Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace at Carlyle House
6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 9:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax Street
703-549-2997
Join an hour-long gentle flow yoga class on Carlyle House’s Magnolia Terrace. You will build heat with sun salutations then progress to balance, deep stretching and, finally, relaxation. Please bring water, a towel and a yoga mat and wear comfortable yoga wear.
April 23rd
Mad Science Apothecary Tour
1 to 5 p.m.
Admission: $8 per person
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
105-107 S. Fairfax Street
703-746-3852
Come to the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum to explore where real science and mad science collide. 45-minute tours start every 30 minutes and feature historic medicines with surprising side effects. Upstairs, meet the museum’s very own mad scientist bringing to life some crazy concoctions and the science behind them. Children must be accompanied by an adult with a ticket.
PNC Parkway Classic
5K begins at 7:30 a.m.; 10-miler begins at 8 a.m.; Kid’s Dash begins at 10:30 a.m.
Admission: $85 for 10-miler and $45 for 5K and $50 for both virtual races; $20 for Kid’s Dash
Old Town Alexandria
Lace up your running shoes for the 2023 PNC Parkway Classic. The Parkway Classic 5K course starts and finishes at Oronoco Bay Park with a scenic and one-of-a-kind course through historic Old Town, Alexandria. Meanwhile, the 10-miler starts at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and finishes at Oronoco Bay Park with a scenic point-to-point course down the George Washington Memorial Parkway and through Old Town. Virtual options are available for 5K and 10-miler. The exciting 600-meter Kid’s Dash is designed for kids 12 and under (one parent is welcome to run alongside their little ones; no registration required). Each Dash participant will receive a special race bib and a finisher medal. There will be a limited number of Kid’s Dash spots, so register early.
April 29th
ALX Dog Walk
8 to 11 a.m.
Admission: Free
Oronoco Bay Park
100 Madison Street
703-717-3672
Walkers and dogs alike can enjoy a two-mile walk down historic Union Street and return to the park along the beautiful waterfront walk for the awards celebration of music, prizes, treats, kids’ activities, dog fun and much more. Each registered walker receives a goody bag, packed with sustainable items, a t-shirt, one free raffle ticket for incredible prizes and a dog bandana.