Category Archives: Del Ray Baby Event

Feb 18, 2019

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

2019 Alexandria Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
Saturday, March 2, 2012
starting at 12:30 p.m. in Old Town

Federal, state, and local elected officials; the Irish Ambassador; military commanders; and other local celebrities will participate in the Alexandria parade. Local scouts, marines and high school bands will also be represented.

Local organizations are going all out this year to make this years parade tons of fun for all!

A Fun Dog show will precede the parade beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Market Square. They will award prizes for fun categories such as Dog with Best Tail Wag, Dog with Most Unusual Markings, Dog/Owner with Most Similar Hair, Dog with Most Unusual Tail & Dog with Best Irish Costume

Jan 29, 2019

George Washington Birthday Parade

Monday, February 19th from 1-3 p.m. is the George Washington Birthday Parade. This parade in Old Town Alexandria is “The largest Parade Celebrating Washington’s Birthday in the USA!” The parade dates back to at least 1923 and features bands, floats, wagons, horses, historic reenactment units, youth groups, and special performances.

The 1-mile parade route begins at the intersection of Gibbon & S. Fairfax Streets and ends at Wilkes & S. Royal Streets.

GW Parade Route 2015The parade features military, fire, police, EMS, historical reenactment groups (from the 18th to the 20th century), performance groups, bands, youth, equestrian and other animal units and civic groups.

Also enjoy free admission to these sites on Parade Day in honor of the birthday of George Washington:

Jul 02, 2015

Family Friendly July 4th Celebration at Long Bridge Park

The July 4th Celebration at Long Bridge Park Will Offer Something for Everyone! On Saturday, July 4, 2015 from 5-10 p.m., the 2015 July 4th Celebration @ Long Bridge Park will be filled with fun games and activities, delicious food, awesome live music and a great view of Washington, DC’s fireworks display!  Enjoy area food vendors serving up a variety of delicious eats. Long Bridge Park is a great place to view the fireworks display on the National Mall. Fireworks are expected to begin at 9:09 p.m. for a duration of 17.5 minutes.

Entertainment Lineup:
5:15 p.m. – DJ Freedom
6:20 p.m. – The Image Band
7:30 p.m. – Ebony Day Dance Company
8 p.m. – ForTheWin
FREE Drop-in Kickball
From 5-8:30 p.m., join Kickball365 for drop-in kickball games on Field #1 and a Home Run Derby competition starting at 7 p.m. Kickball365 enables people to make friends and have fun through local kickball leagues and one of a kind tournament vacation experiences. Moon Bounces

FREE Moon Bounces, Face Painting and Balloon Art
From 5-8:30 p.m., the Department of Parks and Recreation will sponsor free moon bounces, face painting and balloon art on Field #4.

FREE Social Sports
From 5-8:30 p.m., join DC Social Sports for drop-in social sports, including cornhole, bocce, ring toss, ladder golf and duck pin bowling.

FREE Parks and Recreation-Sponsored Family Games:
5 – 5:45 p.m. – Hula Hoop Contest, Tricks, Games, & More

6 – 6:45 p.m. – Giant Parachute Fun

7 – 7:45 p.m.- Life Boat Group Game/Dragon Tails Group Game

July 4
There is no on-site parking for the July 4th Celebration @ Long Bridge Park. Guests are encouraged to utilize the event shuttles from the Crystal City Metro (pick up at Bus Bays C & D) or Pentagon City (pick up at the bus shelter on S. Hayes Street at S. 12th Street – cross S. 12th Street from the metro exit to access the bus shelter). The shuttles will run continuously from 4:30-10:30 p.m.

If you have questions about the event, call 703-228-3329 or email lbarragan@arlingtonva.us.

Sep 12, 2014

Alexandria Multicultural Fest

fesitval_picThis Saturday, Sept. 13th, is the Alexandria Multicultural Fest from 12- 4 p.m. at Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria! The festival in the Chiralagua neighborhood of Alexandria is designed to bring community members together and celebrate Alexandria’s diversity. The festival will include free family entertainment, including live music and games and other activities representing the region’s cultures. Performances include music from “Rainbow Rock Band,” “The Johnny Artis Band” and “Melodica Oriental,” as well as a variety of dance styles. Free games, demonstrations and activities will highlight a broad range of cultures and a wide variety of crafts and cuisines will be available for purchase.

“Rainbow Rock Band,” featuring Kate Moran as the Rainbow Lady, will perform interactive Pop Rock children’s songs where kids can play instruments along with the band. “The Johnny Artis Band” has been entertaining the Mid-Atlantic region for years with their fun loving brand of Rhythm and Blues music. El Salvadoran and Honduran musicians form the group “Melodica Oriental” and perform in the traditional Latino style.

 

 

Mar 20, 2014

Spring has Sprung? Get ready for Spring Classes!

It may not feel like it but today is the first day of spring! We can’t wait for the weather to catch up to the calendar! To help you get into a spring state of mind, here are several ideas for classes and sports that you can sign up for this spring-

ASAtotsSoccerAlexandria Soccer Association’s Spring Tots Soccer season is still signing up. This is for kids ages 2-4. ASA also has fantastic rec. leagues for ages 5 and up.

artinthecenter

Have a budding Picasso in your house? Art at the Center‘s Spring Classes are now registering. Sessions will be from April 21- May 30

upcycle

Get creative at Upcycle‘s next session- ART FUNDAMENTALS – Begins the Week of April 28! They offer classes for kids aged 1-10

theartleague

The spring term begins April 6th at Old Town’s The Art League. Classes are available for kids 5 and up.

AlexandriaSpringProgramGuideCover

Alexandria’s Spring/Summer Recreation Guide is out and there’s tons of fantastic classes being offered. Just to touch on a few, there’s swimming, tumbling, organized sports, dance, arts and even technology!

FairfaxCountyparktakescoverSP14-180

A portion of Alexandria lies within Fairfax County and the Fairfax County Spring Parktakes is out and think Alexandria Rec. Guide on steroids. If your kid has an interest, there’s a class for it!

 

 

 

 

Dec 03, 2013

Del Ray Celebration of the Holidays

IMG_6026 - Copy
Del Ray Annual Holiday Tree Lighting, Luminaries,

& Visit with Santa Claus!

Moved to Sat., December 7th ~ 6 pmIMG_6085

 

Events are at the Del Ray Farmers Market

Corner of Mt. Vernon Avenue and East Oxford Avenue

And along Mt. Vernon Avenue

 

·        Enjoy thousands of Luminaries along Mt. Vernon Avenue

·        Sing holiday carols at the Del Ray Farmer’s Market led by:

“The Rainbow Lady from Rainbow Rock aka Kate Moran”

·        Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate provided by Evening Star & Buzz Bakery

·        Sit on Santa’s lap and have a photo taken

·Come out and see if you can “Find the Spirits” in Del Ray.  Many businesses will be open late for shoppers & offering special holiday spirits/beverages

·  Stop by Del Ray Artisans Holiday Market to shop & enjoy festive food

IMG_6134

And, in the true spirit of the holidays, we are asking our neighbors to help those most in  need. In partnership with Carpenter’s Homeless Shelter, we ask you to please bring and  drop in the boxes at the tree lighting any of the following items:

·        Food – canned goods (soup, vegetables, canned meat)

·        Disposable diapers

·        New Twin Sheets

·        Towels and wash cloths

·        Deodorant/Razors

 Volunteers are needed December 6 at 2 pm to distribute the luminaries along Mt. Vernon Avenue, 5 pm to light them and at 10 pm to extinguish & pick them up.   

To help, contact Gayle Reuter at delraydrba@yahoo.com

IMG_6068 - Copy 

Sponsored by the Del Ray Business Association

Oct 24, 2013

Del Ray Halloween Parade 2013

This coming Sunday is the Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade to be held on October 27th at 2 pm. In past years, more than 5,000 have participated in this annual event which included over 2,000 children, special dignitaries and elected officials; over 50 pets in Halloween costumes; and 25 decorated strollers.

The parade begins at 2 p.m. at Mt. Vernon Avenue, south of E. Bellefonte and continues down to the Mount Vernon Recreational Center play fields at Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues. Children, pets, and strollers in costumes are invited to march and show off their finest and scariest Halloween garb.

This year’s parade will feature awards for Best Pet Costume, Best Decorated Business, Best Decorated Home, and Best Decorated Stroller. Judges include elected officials & City Dignitaries.  Awards will be given out at a brief ceremony following the parade, along with refreshments (hot dogs donated by 7-Eleven, cider, and cookies) and goodie bags for the children (including as long as they last, healthy bags that will not have any candy). Entertainment will be provided by the popular band Mars Rodeo and again this year thanks to the Alexandria Jaycees there will be games and activities for the children. They will take place at the Mt. Vernon fields immediately following the parade. The Parade and all activities are free!

IMG_3091IMG_3094***This year, please note that there is a major change for Stroller Entries for both registration location and judging. Based on feedback from parents, judging for the Stroller Competition will be done prior to the parade. Stroller entries must register by 1:30 pm at the corner of Mt. Vernon Avenue and E. Howell – look for long string of orange balloons & signs. Once registered, strollers will line up on Howell to be judged prior to participating in the parade. Please allow extra time to get to the judging area by 1:30 pm especially if your entry is difficult to maneuver or if you are a large group. There is no fee to register and there are lots of wonderful prizes donated from our local businesses. Categories are: “Creative”, “Humorous”, “Best Group or Family”, “Less is More” and “Overall”.

Registration for Pets begins at 1:30 pm on Mt. Vernon south of E. Howell Ave. look for signage to register your pet. Categories include: “Creative”, “Team”, “How Could You Do This to Me” & “Best of Show”.

There is no registration required for children and families that march in the parade – they should gather at Mt. Vernon Avenue, south of E. Bellefonte.

Del Ray Variety Store will be offering parade day face painting from 10:30 and 1:30pm and sidewalk sale.

Happy Doh Lucky  will be handing out free samples in front of the Purple Goose. Happy Doh Lucky is a really fun, soft moldable dough that encourages children to make their own play! The company is run by a local mom and sold online and at the Purple Goose.

After the parade from 5 pm to 8 pm, for the 7th year, families can enjoy a Spooky Bean Halloween Haunted Graveyard and Belmonster Zombie Decontamination Zone (free!) and will be located next to Bean Creative at Mt. Vernon and E. Del Ray Avenue. The front part of the Haunted Graveyard is open to younger children but the back portion is recommended for a more mature audience.

Oct 20, 2013

Annual Preschool Fair

If you’re in the market for a preschool, you won’t want to miss the Moms Club of Alexandria-Northeast’s 11th Annual Preschool Fair this week!

WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 from 8:30am-12:00pm

WHERE: First Baptist Church, 2932 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302

WHY: This highly informative fair is your one-stop shop to meet with representatives from preeminent preschools and programs from the greater Alexandria area. Last year, over 200 parents attended the fair to meet and talk with over 40 schools exhibiting. Here’s your chance to learn about the educational opportunities available for your child.

All parents are welcome and admission is free.

NOTE: As in previous years, the Moms Club will publish and distribute the 2013 Preschool Booklet to attendees of the fair. They ask for a $1-$5 donation to cover costs for printing/advertising the booklet and fair. This booklet lists each fair exhibitor along with a brief description of their program, including admission, tuition and open house information. It’s a great reference guide for all the local preschools available to you. After the event, they will make the booklet available to those interested.

About MOMS Club: The Preschool Fair is a service provided to the community by the MOMS Club of Alexandria-Northeast, VA. MOMS Club is an international nonprofit organization offering the invaluable resources of support, friendship, activities and local information to stay-at-home moms. The chapter is devoted to fulfilling the motto of MOMS Club International: Moms Offering Moms Support and also playing a key role in supporting the local community.

Oct 05, 2013

Time for Art On The Avenue

It’s time for one of Del Ray’s signature events; Art on The Avenue!

This is the 18th year of the art festival that takes over Mount Vernon Avenue. The festivities go from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. starting at Bellefonte Ave. and stretching down to Hume Ave. (right where Mt. Vernon runs into Commonwealth Ave.)

Over 340 artists and craftspeople set up along Mount Vernon Avenue to display and sell their work.

Here’s the list of free children’s activities:

child's activities

Art on the Avenue hosts four stages that are packed with entertainment throughout the day.  Each stage has different performers scheduled from 10am to 6pm:

  • Twin Stages at the corner of Mt. Vernon and E. Oxford Avenues – two stages go continuously, while one stage has performers, the other stage has the next entertainment being set up.
  • Homegrown Stage at the corner of Mt. Vernon Avenue and Bellefonte Avenues – all performers on this stage are from the Del Ray area.
  • Acoustic Stage in the Nature’s Nibbles side yard located at Mt. Vernon and Stewart Avenues – this stage features music at its’ best where individual artists perform playing their own music.
  • Grassy Knoll Stage at the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center – this stage features musicians from the Del Ray Performing Arts Center.

There will be a children’s stage will the following line-up:

Children’s Stage _ Art on the AvenueThere will also be food vendors, so come hungry.

Here are a few more details that the amazing Del Ray Patch has pulled together about our neighborhood festival:

• Painter and singer-songwriter Alex Cook will be installing a mural on the E. Del Ray Avenue side of A Show of Hands throughout the day. You can view some of Cook’s other murals on his website.

• Del Ray Artisans (2704 Mount Vernon Ave.) will host artist demonstrations throughout the day outside its gallery. Inside, check out the new “Del-Ray-Geous” exhibit. 

• St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Catholic Church (402 E. Monroe Ave.) is hosting a blessing of the animals from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All pets are welcome, even fish and snakes. There will also be animals available for adoption and an exotic animal petting zoo.

• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary (1804 Mount Vernon Ave.) is hosting a flea market and estate sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday featuring furniture, collectables, educational games, books for kids and adults, stuffed animals, crafts and glassware. The market benefits struggling families living in Alexandria.

• Del Ray Variety (203 E. Custis Ave.) is hosting a Great Pumpkin Contest.

• The Neighborhood Pharmacy and Greener Cleaner are both closed Saturday for the festival.

• Evening Start will start serving food and pouring drinks at 11 AM so stop by for some mac and cheese, chef Jim’s housemade hot sauce and brews such as Terrapin Beer Co. Hopsecutioner and Long Trail Brewing Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Plus, 6 bands (Kate Moran Band, Lucky Dub, Mud Rey, Andrea Pais, Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray and Rachel Burns) will be supplying the tunes in our back lot. Can’t wait, Del Ray!

Forum One Spin Art at Art on the Avenue 2011

 

Sep 24, 2013

4th Annual Alexandria Story Festival

What’s the best free event in Alexandria for children and families that you may have never heard of? The 4th Annual Alexandria Story Festival of course!
This fun festival has been growing each year and this year offers an incredible line up of authors and performers. This year won’t disappoint! This is a don’t miss event for families.
The 4th Annual
Alexandria Story Festival
Saturday, September 28, 2013
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
T.C. Williams High School
3330 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
As always, the Alexandria Story Festival is a FREE event for children and their families.

2013 Author Presentations

Jonathan Auxier – Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyesa is for musk ox
John Belemans Marciano – The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield,
Madeline and the Old House in Paris, Madeline at the White House, Madeline and the Cats of Rome, and others
Erin Cabatingan – A is for Musk Ox, Musk Ox Counts
Elisabeth Dahl – Genie Wishes
Martha Freeman – The Case of the Diamond Dog Collar, The Case of the Ruby Slippers,
The Year My Parents Ruined My Life, and others
Shannon Jones – KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France
Anne Marie Pace – Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover, Vampirina Ballerina
Erica Perl – King of the Zoo, Chicken Butt, and others
Trevor Pryce – An Army of Frogs: A Kulipari Novel
Mark Tatulli – Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic, Lio: Making Friends,
Lio:There’s a Monster in My Socks, and others

Schedule of Events

Picture Book Panel: 10:00 am – 11:15 am
Cafeteria Stage
(in alphabetical order)

  • John Bemelmans Marciano
  • Erin Cabatingan
  • Shannon Jones
  • Anne Marie Pace
  • Erica Pearl
Chapter Book Panel: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Cafeteria Stage
(in alphabetical order)

  • Jonathan Auxier
  • Elisabeth Dahl
  • Martha Freeman
  • Trevor Pryce
  • Mark Tatulli

Performances/Presentations

Kaleidoscope for Kids Activity: 10:30 am – 11:15 am
Titan Den (for students in grades 3 and up)
Arts on the Horizon’s The young Spectaculars and the Front Yard Adventures: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Black Box Theater (performance for youngsters)
Lulu Delacre: Canta, Baila, y Viaje por el mundo!: 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm
Black Box Theater (for Spanish speaking students and families)Young Spectaculars_newspaper

The Alexandria Story Festival is hosted by
Wright to Read, Hooray for Books!, ACPS Face Center and Carson Scholars Fund.