Historic Alexandria Calendar

Lecture: Tracing a Child's Heritage - SOLD OUT - Sun Nov 1, 2026 3-5 p.m.

Genealogist Char McCargo Bah presents the lecture Tracing a Child's Heritage from the 20th century to the 18th century in Virginia. This lecture explores the difficulties of researching enslaved persons, free people of color, and family ownership. This lecture will cover a child buried at Alexandria’s Contraband and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial, her enslaved relatives, and her mother and aunt from Middletown, Virginia. After sixteen years of research by Bah, their stories can now be told. This lecture is part of the special traveling exhibtion from Belle Grove Plantation entitled "Monday Robinson: A Life of Thorns and Roses," that is open at Freedom House Museum October 22 through December 31.

Char McCargo Bah is the CEO and owner of FindingThingsforU, LLC. She holds undergraduate degrees in Urban Studies and African American Studies, along with several professional certificates. She has 45 years of experience as an investigative researcher and genealogist. Bah has appeared in numerous television interviews and documentaries, including the PBS show History Detectives and a documentary on African American research at Ellis Island in New York.

Location: Freedom House Museum
Tags: Black History, Black History Museum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Specialty Tour: Hamilton's BFF - SOLD OUT - Sat Nov 7, 2026 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Specialty Tour: Hamilton's BFF & Frenemies

Inspired by the musical Hamilton, learn how the paths of Washington, Lafayette, Jefferson, Madison, and Burr all intersected with this local tavern. Includes discussion of the issues they faced and how their choices impacted local citizens.

Please note tour involves ascending and descending stairs. Arrive no later than 5 minutes prior to tour time to check in. No need to print tickets--your name will be on a list after purchasing.

Location: Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.
Fees: $15, $12 Historic Alexandria members
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: America250, Gadsby's Tavern, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

An Intimate Evening with George Washington - Sat Nov 7, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join George Washington at the historic Duvall House, where his “coming home” party was held upon his return from the Revolutionary War! The General will talk about his most memorable moments of the War, and answer questions about his life and times.

Libations and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. $150 per person, with proceeds to benefit the 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria. Dressy casual.

Event will be held at The Duvall House, 305 Cameron Street, Alexandria.

Location: No Location Specified
Fees: $150
Tags: Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Old Town North, Parade

Grown-Up Field Trip: Who Gets Remembered - Sat Nov 7, 2026 6-7:30 p.m.

Grown-Up Field Trip: Who Gets Remembered

Why do we remember some people from history while others are forgotten? Step inside Gadsby’s Tavern Museum for an interactive exploration of the people whose stories have been preserved—and those whose stories are harder to find. Through historic spaces and primary sources, we’ll question who gets remembered, who gets left out, and how those choices shape our understanding of the past. This program is part of Historic Alexandria’s monthly Grown-Up Field Trip series, where adults can feed their curiosity by learning more about Alexandria’s history together.

Please note this program involves ascending and descending historic stairs. Seating is provided at each stop during the tour.

Future Grown-Up Field Trips include:
-Dec. 18, 6:30-8 p.m.: Citizen Firefighter with Friendship Firehouse Museum

Location: Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.
Fees: $15/$12 for Historic Alexandria members and volunteers
Tags: Gadsby's Tavern, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Apothecary Museum 20th Anniversary Open House - Sun Nov 8, 2026 1-5 p.m.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is hosting an open house with free, stationed tours to celebrate 20 years as a City-owned museum. On view for the event will be Edward Stabler’s 1790s daybook and an account and prescription book from the 1860s. Rarely on view, these materials will be part of the museum’s future conservation efforts of archival materials.

This family-run pharmacy operated from 1792 until 1933. Upon declaring bankruptcy and closing in 1933, community members purchased the building and its contents, officially opening to visitors as a museum in 1939. They established the Landmarks Society, now known as the Mortar and Pestle Society, to own and operate the museum. After an extensive renovation, the Landmarks Society donated the museum and its contents to the City of Alexandria in November 2006.

Location: Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Tags: Apothecary Museum, Health, Historic Preservation, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Old Town North

ACRP Committee of Inquiry - Mon Nov 9, 2026 7-8:30 p.m.

A meeting of the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) Committee of Inquiry research team.

Location: Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Black History, Black History Museum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

The Forces Awaken! - Thu Nov 12, 2026 7-8 p.m.

Join us for "The Forces Awaken!" - An Evening of Philosophic Reveries! A Pageant of Modern Scientifical Recreations & Amusements! Grand Spectacle and Curious Demonstrations Revealing Unseen & Mysterious Forces of the Universe, will be on display courtesy of: The Professor. Join veteran science educator and historian Dean Howarth (The Natural Philosopher, LLC) for an evening of 19the-century science. Mr. Howarth will conduct experiments from the 19th century, much like ones conducted at Lyceum Hall in Alexandria in the 1840s and 50s. Enjoy astounding and shocking (sometimes literally) demonstrations as you learn about the invisible forces that are all around us. Beer and wine for sale.

Location: Lyceum
Fees: $15/$12 for Historic Alexandria members
Tags: Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

French Book Club - Fri Nov 13, 2026 7-8 p.m.

French Book Club for 11/13/2026

Join the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee and Old Town Books in celebrating French authors and literature! This special collaboration event series is free and open to the public, and is designed to encourage the exploration of Francophone authors, especially those in the French diaspora, and their books in translation to English. The book club will be conducted in English. "Texaco" is the 1992 winner of the Prix Goncourt, one of France’s top literary awards. Written by Patrick Chamoiseau, an author of black Martinican provenance, the book traces one hundred and fifty years of post-slavery Caribbean history, and is a novel that is as much about self-affirmation engendered by memory as it is about a quest for the adequacy of its own form. While buying the book at Old Town Books is not required to attend, doing so helps keep their free literary programming sustainable! Buy your copy of Texaco by Patrick Chamoiseau at their brick-and-mortar shop or online and note "SISTER10" to get 10% off. By attending an Old Town Books event, you are agreeing to their code of conduct (https://tinyurl.com/3r62sh4u).

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Tags: Book Discussion Group, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Specialty Tour: Fort Ward & Civil War Music - Sat Nov 14, 2026 10-11 a.m.

Specialty Tour: Fort Ward & Civil War Music

Come explore music in the Civil War! This one-hour tour will begin inside the museum with the exhibit "Buglers and Brass Bands." Together, we'll dive into how music and musical instruments functioned within the Union Army and the wider culture of the 1860s. The tour will then head outside to explore life at Fort Ward in the reconstructed Northwest Bastion, the best preserved of the Union forts that comprised the historic defense system.

Doors to the museum will open at 9:45 a.m. Please arrive or call the museum before 10 a.m. as doors will be locked at the start of the tour. Be sure to wear shoes and appropriate gear for walking in the outdoor bastion. Tour will take place rain or shine.

Location: Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W. Braddock Rd.
Fees: $15/$12 OHA members
Tags: Arts, Fort Ward Museum, Fort Ward Park, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria

Specialty Tour: Hamilton's BFF & Frenemies - Sat Nov 14, 2026 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Friendship Firehouse Museum Open - Sat Nov 14, 2026 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Come out and visit the Friendship Firehouse Museum on the 100 block of South Alfred Street on Saturday November 14 from 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.!

Discover the history of the fire company, founded in 1774 as Alexandria's first volunteer brigade. Plus check out some early fire fighting equipment.

For more information, visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/FriendshipFirehouse

The Friendship Fire Company, established in 1774, was the first fire company in Alexandria. Today the Friendship Firehouse, built in 1855, is a museum open to the public.

Location: Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred St.
Fees: Free admission for Alexandria residents. General Admission: $3.00 per person
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Family, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

CANCELLED: Lecture: “Opium Slavery, Civil War Veterans ..." - Sun Nov 15, 2026 3-4:30 p.m.

Join us at Lloyd House for a series of lectures featuring local authors, with the third featuring Jonathan S. Jones, author of Opium Slavery, Civil War Veterans and America’s First Opioid Crisis.

During the Civil War, the utility and widespread availability of opium and morphine made opiates essential to wartime medicine. After the war ended, thousands of ailing soldiers became addicted, or “enslaved,” as nineteenth-century Americans phrased it. Veterans, their families, and communities struggled to cope with addiction’s health and social consequences. Medical and government authorities compounded veterans' suffering and imbued the epidemic with cultural meaning by branding addiction as a matter of moral weakness, unmanliness, or mental infirmity. Framing addiction as “opium slavery” limited the efficacy of care and left many veterans to suffer needlessly for decades after the war ended.

Drawing from veterans' firsthand accounts as well as mental asylum and hospital records, government and medical reports, newspaper coverage of addiction, and advertisements, Jonathan S. Jones unearths the poorly understood stories of opiate-addicted Civil War veterans in unflinching detail, illuminating the war’s traumatic legacies. In doing so, Jones provides critical historical context for the modern opioid crisis, which bears tragic resemblance to that of the post–Civil War era.

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Fees: $15/$12 for Historic Alexandria Members and volunteers.
Tags: Book Discussion Group, Lecture, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee - Mon Nov 16, 2026 7-9 p.m.

A meeting of the George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC).

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Boards & Commissions, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Parade

Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC) - Tue Nov 17, 2026 7-9 p.m.

A meeting of the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC).

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Boards & Commissions, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria

Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission - Wed Nov 18, 2026 8-9:15 a.m.

An in-person meeting of the Historic Restoration and Preservation Commission.

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Boards & Commissions, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Alexandria Archaeological Commission Meeting - Wed Nov 18, 2026 7-9 p.m.

A meeting of the Alexandria Archaeological Commission (AAC).

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Archaeology Museum, Boards & Commissions, Commission Meeting, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Bienvenue Beaujolais - Thu Nov 19, 2026 7-10 p.m.

Please join the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee for a special evening of French food and wine! We will enjoy the anticipated 2026 Beaujolais Nouveau and then explore beyond the Beaujolais region to showcase some of the finest French wines. From a crisp bubbly and refreshing white wine to a bold and robust red wine. To complement the wines, we will feature French cuisine, taking a tour through the flavors of France, featuring charcuterie, cheeses, and other delicacies. You will also receive a signature wine-tasting glass. For guests 21 and over.

The Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee is responsible for coordinating projects and facilitating the sister city relationship between the Cities of Alexandria and Caen, France.

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Fees: $80
Tags: Food, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Sister Cities

Specialty Tour: Hamilton's BFF - SOLD OUT - Sat Nov 21, 2026 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Alexandria Cider Festival - Sat Nov 21, 2026 1-5 p.m.

Celebrate Virginia Cider Week! With a special tasting event on the grounds of historic Lloyd House and on Queen Street in Old Town Alexandria. Hosted by the Office of Historic Alexandria in partnership with the Virginia Association of Cider Makers, this event includes cider tastings, a souvenir cider cup, live music, tavern games, and a little history too!

While enjoying a selection of Virginia ciders, learn more about the growing Virginia cider industry and its connection to Alexandria history. The Alexandria Cider Festival includes offerings from Albemarle Cider Works, Potter’s Craft Cider, Lost Boy Cider, and more. This year, for the nation’s 250th anniversary, the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience (“Out of Many, One”) will be open on Queen Street during the event. The museum features hands-on exhibits, innovative technology, and stories focused on everyday people rather than just the Founding Fathers. Food trucks will be available on Queen Street as well for food purchases.

Cider was a popular beverage in 18th- and early 19th-century Alexandria and was offered at area taverns, including Gadsby’s Tavern. Thomas Jefferson cultivated eighteen varieties of apples in his orchard at Monticello (planted between 1769 and 1814). Today, there are over 30 different apple varieties grown specifically for cider production throughout Virginia. Cider is fermented like wine, not brewed like beer. One of the most common misconceptions amongst consumers is that hard cider is made in just ‘one’ style rather than the many different styles that are produced. Virginia Cider Week was established by the Virginia General Assembly in 2012 to recognize this growing segment of Virginia’s economy.

Tickets are $50 per person (through November 1) and $55 (November 1-20), and $25 designated driver tickets and may be purchased through The Alexandria Shop. Check in at The Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $65, if space is available.

Proceeds from the Cider Festival will benefit the Historic Alexandria Museums.

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Fees: Tickets are $50 per person (through November 1) and $55 (November 1-20), and $25 designated driver tickets and may be purchased through The Alexandria Shop. Check in at The Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $65, if space is available.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: America250, Event Impacts, Food, Museums, Old Town

Sister Cities Committee Dundee and Helsingborg - Mon Nov 23, 2026 7-8:30 p.m.

A meeting of the Sister Cities Committee (SCC) Dundee and Helsingborg.

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Boards & Commissions, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Sister Cities

Specialty Tour: Women in Medicine - Fri Nov 27, 2026 4-5 p.m.

Specialty Tour: Women in Medicine

While men often take the spotlight, women have always shaped the practice of medicine. This tour will explore many objects in the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum used by women from the late 18th through early 20th centuries, as well as the women's influence on medicine in Alexandria and the wider world during this period. Please arrive 10-15 minutes earlier to check-in as the doors will be locked and the museum will be closed to the public when the tour begins.

Please note the tour involves ascending and descending stairs.
Please note: You do not need to print off tickets. Your name will be on the registration list for this event.

Location: Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Fees: $15/$12 for Historic Alexandria Members
Tags: Apothecary Museum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Women History

Family Holiday Magic Show - Sun Nov 29, 2026 7:30-9 p.m.

Join us at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum for a free holiday magic show, performed by professional magicians who are members of Ring 50, the DC-area chapter of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Magic is a part of The Lyceum's history and 19th-century magicians like Signor Blitz and Wyman the Wizard performed there in the 1840s. This modern family-friendly show will be geared toward children ages 5 to 12, but all are welcome.

Please bring new, unwrapped toys to donate to the Fund for Alexandria's Child Holiday Sharing Program, which benefits kids who might otherwise go without holiday gifts this year in lieu of paying an admission fee. For more information, email info@ibmring50.org. The show is free, but space is limited so please reserve a space!

Location: Lyceum
Fees: Wrapped toy donation
Tags: Family, Holiday Event, Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Friendship Firehouse Museum Open - Sat Dec 5, 2026 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Come out and visit the Friendship Firehouse Museum on the 100 block of South Alfred Street on Saturday December 5 from 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.!

Discover the history of the fire company, founded in 1774 as Alexandria's first volunteer brigade. Plus check out some early fire fighting equipment.

For more information, visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/FriendshipFirehouse

The Friendship Fire Company, established in 1774, was the first fire company in Alexandria. Today the Friendship Firehouse, built in 1855, is a museum open to the public.

Location: Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred St.
Fees: Free admission for Alexandria residents. General Admission: $3.00 per person
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Family, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Ship Biscuit Ornaments - Sat Dec 5, 2026 2-5 p.m.

Ship Biscuits Ornaments
Alexandria Archaeology Museum
105 N. Union Street, Unit 327

Ship's biscuits were made to last during long voyages, like hardtack. A nearly complete ship’s biscuit from the 18th century was found at the Robinson Landing Site (44AX235). Stop by the Alexandria Archaeology Museum on Saturday, December 6 between 2 and 5 p.m. to make your own ship’s biscuit ornament to commemorate the discovery and the city's waterfront history! Each biscuit ornament will be stamped with the year and then baked at home to track its preservation. Free, no registration required.

Location: Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N. Union St.
Tags: Archaeology Museum, Arts, Holiday Event, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Old Town Gingerbread Decorating - Sun Dec 6, 2026 12-5 p.m.

Old Town Gingerbread Decorating

Learn about local architecture as you decorate a flat “façade” (front) based on historic buildings around Gadsby’s Tavern Museum. Ticket includes one flat gingerbread façade, all the supplies needed to decorate, and admission to the museum. Inspiring samples highlight architectural details you can recreate in candy and search for in the neighborhoods on your way home. Event ideal for families or adult groups. Hot cider and spiked cider available for purchase during event.

A ticket is not required for each person--the ticket is to purchase a decorating kit, which people may share.

Location: Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.
Fees: $25 per decorating kit
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Gadsby's Tavern, Holiday Event, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Christmas in Camp - Sat Dec 12, 2026 12-4 p.m.

Get in the holiday spirit and learn how Christmas was observed during the Civil War at Fort Ward Museum’s annual Civil War Christmas in Camp program on Saturday, December 12, 2025, from 12-4 p.m. This popular family-oriented event features a patriotic Civil War Santa Claus, reenactors in winter camp settings, and period decorations. Christmas in Camp The program features a Civil War-era Union Santa Claus, based on an 1863 cover of Harper’s Weekly by artist Thomas Nast, who will interact with the public, welcome children to the reconstructed Officers’ Hut, and visit soldiers in camp. Reenactors will interpret army life in winter camps that are decorated for the season, and celebrate by opening Christmas boxes from home and singing carols of the period around the campfire. The Museum will be decorated with festive greenery and a Victorian parlor tree. Children can make a holiday card or ornament. A variety of Civil War books and “stocking stuffers” are available in the Museum shop. Fort Ward is the best preserved of the Union forts in the extensive system known as the Defenses of Washington. The Museum offers exhibits and public programs throughout the year. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site is located at 4301 West Braddock Road in the City of Alexandria.

For more information about this program, please call 703.746.4848, or visit alexandria.gov/FortWard.

Location: Fort Ward Museum, 4301 W. Braddock Rd.
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Family, Fort Ward Museum, Fort Ward Park, Holiday Event, Museums

Alexandria Celebrates Kwanzaa - Sat Dec 12, 2026 5-6:30 p.m.

Alexandria Celebrates Kwanzaa!

Guests of all ages will enjoy making crafts and learning about foods that have evolved from African origins while connecting local history to the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

Location: Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St.
Fees: $5
Tags: Black History, Black History Museum, Family, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Colonial Handbell Ringers Concert - Sun Dec 13, 2026 2-3 p.m.

The Colonial English Handbell Ringers bring peace to your world and joy to your hearts this holiday season as they proudly present their 2026 holiday concert “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” presented on Sunday, December 13, at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 S Washington St). Two performances will be offered, from 2–3 p.m. and 4–5 p.m.

These performances are FREE and appropriate for all ages, although donations are very much appreciated. Seating is first come first serve, so early arrival is recommended. We look forward to seeing and as always, thank you for your support as the Colonial English Handbell Ringers celebrate their 35th season ringing with you! For more information about the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, visit alexandriava.gov/Lyceum.

Location: Lyceum
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: Family, Holiday Event, Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town, Performing Arts

Colonial Handbell Ringers Concert - Sun Dec 13, 2026 4-5 p.m.

The Colonial English Handbell Ringers bring peace to your world and joy to your hearts this holiday season as they proudly present their 2026 holiday concert “Tidings of Comfort and Joy,” presented on Sunday, December 13, at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 S Washington St). Two performances will be offered, from 2–3 p.m. and 4–5 p.m.

These performances are FREE and appropriate for all ages, although donations are very much appreciated. Seating is first come first serve, so early arrival is recommended. We look forward to seeing and as always, thank you for your support as the Colonial English Handbell Ringers celebrate their 35th season ringing with you! For more information about the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, visit alexandriava.gov/Lyceum.

Location: Lyceum
Audience: Anyone may attend
Tags: America250, Arts, Family, Holiday Event, Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee - Mon Dec 14, 2026 7-9 p.m.

Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC) - Tue Dec 15, 2026 7-9 p.m.

Traditional Music Series Concert - Tue Dec 15, 2026 7-9:30 p.m.

John Doyle and Cathie Ryan return to the Lyceum with Mick McAuley in: An Irish Christmas. Name many of the most notable recordings and/or performers in Irish music and it's a fair bet that John Doyle, with his singing, songwriting, and signature guitar style, had something to do with them. Liz Carroll; Eileen Ivers; Karan Casey; Solas; Michael Black; Mary Black; the trio of McCusker, McGoldrick and Doyle; The Teetotalers (Martin Hayes, Kevin Crawford, John Doyle); and now Usher's Island (Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Mike McGoldrick, Paddy Glackin and John Doyle) - a vertible who's who of the greatest names in Irish music.

Renowned singer songwriter Cathie Ryan is an Irish American singer-songwriter celebrated for her crystalline vocals, insightful songwriting, and blending of traditional Irish and American folk music. Rising to prominence in 1987 as lead singer of Cherish the Ladies, she launched a solo career in 1995, releasing acclaimed albums including The Music of What Happens, Somewhere Along the Road, and Through Wind and Rain.

Mick McAuley is an Irish musician, composer and songwriter who has recorded and toured internationally for many years. A multi-instrumentalist, Mick plays accordion, melodeon, concertina, whistles and guitar.

Tickets are $47.56 and $16.20 (ages 12-17) at ticketstripe.com/DoyleRyanMcAuley.

Location: Lyceum
Fees: Tickets are $47.56 and $16.20 (ages 12-17) at ticketstripe.com/DoyleRyanMcAuley
Tags: Concerts, Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Alexandria Archaeological Commission Meeting - Wed Dec 16, 2026 7-9 p.m.

Grown-Up Field Trip: Citizen Firefighter - Fri Dec 18, 2026 6:30-8 p.m.

Grown-Up Field Trip: Citizen Firefighter

Step into the bucket brigade and discover how early Alexandrians came together to protect their community from the threat of fire. Explore historic firefighting equipment, try colonial firefighting techniques, and take part in the tradition of electing honorary members as you consider what it means to be a good citizen--then and now. This program is part of Historic Alexandria’s monthly Grown-Up Field Trip series, where adults can feed their curiosity by learning more about Alexandria’s history together.

Please note the first floor of the museum is brick pavers. An elevator is available to the second floor.

Location: Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred St.
Fees: $15/$12 for OHA members & volunteers
Tags: Friendship Firehouse Museum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

Traditional Music Series Concert - Fri Jan 8, 2027 7:30-10 p.m.

Join us at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum for an evening of Irish traditional music with Mossy Banks, comprised of Marty Frye, Sarah Collins, and David McKindley-Ward. Three close friends, having played tunes in many configurations for years, finally assemble in a trio with roots in DC, Boston and Baltimore. Marty, Sarah, and Dave have a shared passion for the tunes, and a shared quest for the balanced lightness and depth of a good groove. With Marty on flute, Sarah on fiddle, and David on bouzouki, vocals, and harmonium, this trio presents their version of Irish music, a sound influenced by an appreciation for American old time and other groovy genres they’ve grown up around on the East Coast. Their debut album, forthcoming this winter, will showcase a range of tunes and songs, both sparse and lush in their approach to traditional music.

Tickets are $37.11, $16.20 for ages 12-17 at ticketstripe.com/MossyBanks.

Location: Lyceum
Fees: Tickets are $37.11, $16.20 for ages 12-17 at ticketstripe.com/MossyBanks.
Tags: Arts, Concerts, Lyceum, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town

ACRP Discerning Dinner - Sat Jan 30, 2027 6-8:30 p.m.

Reserve space at a Discerning Dinner and join the conversation while supporting the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project’s Memorial Scholarship Program. Each academic year, ACRP invites guest speakers to lead participants in meaningful conversation while enjoying a simple dinner together. Our guest speaker is Dr. DeFazio of George Mason University (GMU) who has a book titled "Lynching in Virginia: Racial Terror and Its Legacy."

To officially register for this event: Step One: Reserve your place at the table in the Historic Alexandria shop at https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx (This is only a reservation; no money will be deducted from your account.) Step Two: Donate $40 to ACRP’s Memorial Scholarship Program. (Please do not donate anonymously, instead leave your last name and “for Cohen Dinner” so we can track your purchase.)

$40 donation to ACRP's Memorial Scholarship program (donate here: https://alexscholarshipfund.networkforgood.com/projects/208787-alexandria-community-remembrance-project-scholarships)

Location: Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St.
Fees: $40 donation to ACRP's Memorial Scholarship program
Tags: Black History, Book Discussion Group, Museums, Old & Historic Alexandria, Old Town