Best of the West by West End Business Association
5th
1 to 5 p.m.
Admission: Free (pre-registration recommended)
Patrick Henry Recreation Center
4653 Taney Avenue
alexandriaweba.com

The West End Business Association (WEBA) invites Alexandrians and neighbors to the inaugural Best of the West event celebrating the neighborhood’s restaurants and consumer-facing businesses. Hosted at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center, the event will feature tastings from local restaurants, vendor booths, free entertainment and some friendly competition to be named “Best of the West.” Pre-registration is recommended for earlier and guaranteed entry.

Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale
12th
Throughout Old Town and Beyond
AlexandriaSidewalkSale.com

One of the longest running summer shopping events returns to the D.C. region’s Shop Small destination for independent boutiques, Alexandria, Virginia, with the annual Alexandria Summer Sidewalk Sale happening Saturday, August 12, 2023, throughout Old Town and beyond. The event features more than 40 Alexandria boutiques stepping out of their storefronts and offering deeply discounted summer merchandise. Plus, enjoy live music along King Street and shop pop-up vendors along the 0 block of King Street. In Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, browse unique finds at the Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market and more. Learn more at AlexandriaSidewalkSale.com.

Art Night in Old Town
17th
5 to 7:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Various locations throughout Old Town Alexandria
oldtownbusiness.org

On the third Thursday of each month, discover an art gallery and/or cultural arts organization offering an evening of fine art and studio crafts. Come to Old Town for an evening of art and stay for dinner at a nearby restaurants More information on participating art galleries and restaurants can be found at oldtownbusiness.org.

Del Ray Bands and Brews Summer Bar Crawl
19th
12:30 to 6 p.m.
Admission: $15 Advance Tickets; $25 Day of Event Tickets
Various locations along Mount Vernon Avenue
visitdelray.com

Join the fun and vibrant Del Ray community for a special summer event featuring live music in outdoor restaurant venues along the Avenue. The first 250 registrants will get a swag bag with a 16oz souvenir collector’s cup! Tickets include specials on cocktails, beer and food at each of the 15+ participating restaurants, live music at every venue, trolley transportation, 50/50 raffles, a photo booth and many more fun giveaways. You must be 21+ to participate in the crawl, but children and families are welcome at family-friendly establishments and at the main stage at Pat Miller Square. This event is being brought to you by the Del Ray Business Association and will benefit the non-profit Friends of Duncan Library.

Around the World Cultural Food Festival
26th
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
Oronoco Bay Park
100 Madison Street
aroundtheworldfestival.com

The Around the World Cultural Food Festival takes attendees on a day trip around the world and showcases the cuisine, culture and traditions of dozens of countries. The pet-friendly event will occur rain or shine across the expansive Oronoco Bay Park.

Not to be missed on the
Waterfront:

Two Boxes of Oranges and
Admonia Jackson
Admission: Free
Waterfront Park
1A Prince Street
visitalexandriava.com/public-art
Photo Credit: Lee Moody

Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson is 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.”

For more summer events and activities in Alexandria, see the listings below and head to VisitAlexandria.com/Summer.