Tag Archives: First Thursday

Aug 31, 2014

Del Ray’s Got Talent…and Fashion at the last First Thursday for 2014

FashionShowDon’t miss the last First Thursday of the year this coming Thursday, Sept. 4th. Join the Del Ray Business Association for an evening of fashion, talent and fun,

Local merchants Amalgamated, Gossip on 23rd, Kiskadee, LuLu Lemon for Mind the Mat, Purple Goose and Salon Bisoux will style and coiffe our models for the runway show. And what’s a model without her canine sidekick? A Dog’s Best Friend has some surprises in store proving that canines + fashion = fun!

first thursdayThe Kate Moran Band will kick-off the evening promptly at 6 pm, and headline the talent portion of the evening following the runway show. Martha Krabill, singer in The Reflex ultimate 80’s band, will be a siren you won’t want to miss (you’ve seen her on American Idol Season 3). Our own Rayvonne Lewis will also be with us delighting the audience with his smooth dance moves. There may also may have some surprise walk-ons from some of our local politicians.

As in past events, they are asking for audience participation. Join us by wearing your favorite ensemble, Sunday best, high couture, drag attire, or even costume and you too may end up on the runway toward the end of the evening!

They are also asking for donations of new or gently used coats that will be put to good use by one of our favorite local charities, ALIVE. And be sure and check out additional activities that will be taking place up and down the Avenue.

So mark your calendars and we’ll see you this Thursday, September 4 th from 6 pm to 8 pm on the catwalk, located at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford Avenues!

1st-thursday

 

Jul 31, 2013

First Thursday- Did you know?

Tomorrow, August 1st from 6-9 p.m. is First Thursday – Did You Know
1st-thursday
The Del Ray Business Association will be sharing interesting facts about local businesses and Del Ray through a scavenger hunt and educational demonstrations.  For the Scavenger Hunt, pick up the clues and map at 6pm at the Farmer’s Market. Find the answers by visiting local businesses and their tables along the Avenue. Seichou Karate, Del Ray Variety, Rich Rosenthal Brincefield Manitta Dzubin & Kroeger, A Shot in the Dark, The Plannery, Nanny Next Door, Jason Fuchs of Wells Fargo Advisors, Del Ray Artisans, and Sediment Press will be participating.
Mount Vernon Community School will be the featured non-profit of First Thursday and will have a booth at the Farmers Market. At the booth you can:
■Purchase MVCS t-shirts
■Sign up to join/renew your PTA membership
■Drop off “Boxtops for Education“
■Register your Giant, Target, Safeway and Harris Teeter cards so MVCS can earn money with each purchase
■Get the latest on the MV Big Flea and other PTA programs and activities
■Learn how to become a community partner
■Donate school supplies
There will also be demonstrations at the Farmer’s Market Lot starting at 6:30 Turn Your Favorite Bar Soap Into A Liquid Soap (Truly Life) 6:45 Karate Student Demo (Seichou Karate) 7:15 A Skit (Del Ray Variety)
Many businesses will have tables set up along Mt. Vernon Avenue. Many will have fun activities and demonstrations. Get your face painted at Nanny Next Door’s table near A Show of Hands. Watch Meghan from A Shot in the Dark demonstrate the rule of thirds at A Shot in the Dark’s table near the Farmer’s Market.
First Thur

“Main Street & Nations Celebration” First Thursday is going to be held on the second Thursday, July 11th from 6 pm to 9 pm along Mt. Vernon Avenue and is put on by the Del Ray Business Association.

cake walk
Activities tomorrow evening include:
 –    The traditional cake walk at the Farmer’s Market lot at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford Avenue!  Everyone is invited to participate.
 –    Musical entertainment will be by Rainbow Rock (www.rainbowrockband.com) headed up by our own Kate Moran located at the Farmer’s Market Lot.
 –    As we celebrate our nation’s freedom, we would like to recognize and help the Friends of Rocky Versace as they support the various projects associated with the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza & Vietnam Veterans Memorial which is located here in Del Ray.  They will have a table set up at the Farmer’s Market and will be accepting donations throughout the evening; checks should be made payable to Friends of Rocky Versace.
 –   Independence Day celebrations aren’t complete without an official watermelon seed spitting contest.  Wouldn’t you love to be able to claim that title?? If so, stop by Pork Barrel BBQ who will be hosting this annual tradition at Mt. Vernon and E. Oxford Avenues.
–     Besides being one of our favorite City departments, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Department always has lots of goodies to hand out at our First Thursday’s.  This month, they will be the hit on the Avenue as they hand out free Slurpee coupons.  Come by to get one while supplies last! Unrelated to First Thursday but still happening on Mount Vernon Ave., 7-Eleven will be celebrating 7/11 by giving out free 12 oz. slurpees.
 –      There will be free face painting for the kiddos at the farmers market.
It promises to be lots of fun!
Jun 05, 2013

First Thursday – Dog Days of Summer

*UPDATE*

After being postposed on June 6th and 13th, it looks like third time is a charm and First Thursday will happen on June 20th!

puppy popsToday is Del Ray’s First Thursday. Come out from 6-9pm along Mount Vernon Avenue and join friends and neighbors for lots of fun! Businesses will be open late and there will be fun activities for people and dogs.

The business association hasn’t released much information about the evening but here’s what I’ve gathered that local businesses will be doing:

  • Del Ray Variety store will have Alexandria Police K-9 Unit demonstrations in their parking lot. Our premier sponsor The Little Gym of Alexandria at Van Dorn will also outside w/ interactive activities for the kids! The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria will be ccollecting pet supply donations in the store.
  • The Animal Welfare League will be set up at Mt. Vernon and E. Oxford Avenues with staff and adoptable animals. Pet photographer Jeanne Taylor will be taking pictures of dogs outside of A Show of Hands that will be available for sale.
  • Want to take a break and get a tasty bite to eat that kids and adults will love? Cheesetique will have live jazz all night.
  • Upcycle Creative Reuse Center is moving to Del Ray at 1712 Mt. Vernon Ave.! Stop by and make an UpCycled dog toy for your special pooch. They are also collecting towels, blankets, bath mats and more for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
  • Free face painting at Bellies and Babies
  • Homeward Trails & Operation Paws for homes will be along the 2500 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue in front of the Mt. Vernon Community School at ‘Rescue Row’ with dogs that are up for adoption.
  • The Little Free Library stewards and friends will be at Bean Creative helping out the Alexandria Library folks with a readaloud of Martha Speaks, which will be available in the LFL at the corner of Windsor and Dewitt afterwards

first thursday

Apr 28, 2013

First Thursday is back!

I’m so excited that the nice weather is back and our first First Thursday On The Avenue is this coming Thursday with the fun theme of “Cirque Du Del Ray”

The fun begins at 6:00 pm539739_444990802249578_18686802_n

Kicking off the First Thursday series with the Health and Wellness themed Cirque Du Del Ray! Come join the fun at the corner of Mt. Vernon Avenue and Oxford Street in a healthy carnival atmosphere where kids and their parents can participate in a variety of activities:

Tentative Schedule of Events in Farmer’s Market Lot (Mount Vernon & East Oxford)

6:00pm – Family Pictionary – “Healthy Foods” Osteopath Dr. Jennifer Lee & “Healthy KOZ”: 2 teams of 5 kids each will compete for a prize!

6:20pm – Little Gym of Alexandria in Van Dorn: activities for kids from 6 and up

7:00pm – Crossfit kids (wear sneakers) – Mount Vernon Community School

7:15pm – Barre Body – Studio Body Logic

7:30pm – Family Yoga (bring a mat) & Pilates Boot Camp (bring a mat) – Mind the Mat & Dragon Pilates

8:00pm – “Let’s Move” Del Ray Hula Hoop Party – DRBA

8:30pm – Closing Meditation (bring a mat) – Yoga & Daily Life Meditation

AND throughout the night, bring your bicycles for Velocity’s BIKE RODEO in the parking lot next to Del Ray Variety at 203 E Custis! Their staff will check out your bike and get it ready for a fun summer!

Check out last year’s Flash Mob!

 

 

Aug 02, 2012

First Thursday- “Art Walk on the Avenue”

Today is First Thursday: “Art Walk on the Avenue”

Come watch artists work their magic along Mount Vernon Avenue. The celebration runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and features art demonstrations and live music. The Del Ray Business Association, which puts on the First Thursday celebrations, hopes to have an artist – or two – on every corner including local celebrity chef Will Artley who plans to show off his culinary art.

Other artists expected to attend the event include:

Choreographers Collaboration Project which will dance outside A Show of Hands at the corner of E. Del Ray and Mount Vernon avenues.

Sediment Press will demonstrate how to make postcards.

Lily Beach – face painting

Tessa Barsic – oil painting

Eric Nelson will demonstrate painting on mylar outside Artfully Chocolate.

Ginny Filer – photography, outside Bean Creative.

William Mansfield – banjo

Matthew Harwood – architect turned artist

Lisa Schumaier – artist

Robin Kuprewicz – jewelry artist

Sally Coler

Mary Jane O’Loughlin will demonstrate how to put together a book.

Mary Exline – watercolors

Maria Teresa Balda – hair bows

Paula H. Wulff

Marcia Toepfer – watercolors

Joyce Wagner – pressed flower cards

Anne Marie Houston – photography

Renee Rutkowski – glass bead making

Sally Fernandez – sewing/embroidery

Art League artists

Two singing groups also will take turns performing at the Del Farmer’s Market starting at 6:30 pm. First up, Venus d Minor, followed by Jubilee Voices at 7 p.m. The groups will trade off every 30 minutes until the final performance ends at 9 p.m.

The Del Ray Montessori will be doing a cute art project for children in front of Bean Creative.

Friends of Karen Graf are sponsoring a celebration of the arts and the Olympics by creating an international flag. This art project will be led by Maury Elementary’s art teacher, Luisa Tio. This is an activity for all ages. Get ready to get messy with paints and markers! Also, face painter Barbara Scheeler from Let’s Make a Face will be there from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and there will be a bouncy house! At the Bean Creative lot (2213 Mt. Vernon Avenue)

This month, First Thursday organizers are spotlighting The Child & Family Network Centers, a local nonprofit that provides education and related services to low-income children. People are encouraged to donate art supplies to the group at a tent set up at the Del Ray Farmer’s Market at the corner of Oxford and Mount Vernon avenues.

Jul 05, 2012

First Thursday

This Thursday, July 5th from 6 pm to 9 pm the Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) will host July’s First Thursday – Main Street 4th of July Staycation.

On Thursday night, at the Farmer’s Market lot at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford Avenue and all along Mt. Vernon Avenue, we promise the following fun “vacation” type events happening right here in Del Ray:

1) Historical Walking Tour of Del Ray – pick up a map at the Farmer’s Market Lot & take a self-guided tour down Mt. Vernon Avenue where you will learn answers to 6 fun historic questions about Del Ray.  Turn in your answers & be eligible for door prizes. Winning entries will be drawn at 8 pm.

2) Have your “family vacation photo” taken by one of Del Ray’s favorite photographer, Wayne Hulehan.  Check in at the Farmer’s Market for the exact location and then photos will be posted on a link on the DRBA website.

3) What vacation is complete with out cooling off from the heat.  Stop by Del Ray’s “misting tent” located next to the Neighborhood Pharmacy at 2204 Mt. Vernon Avenue to cool off.

4) Participate in one of Del Ray’s “funnest” July First Thursday events – the annual Cake Walk. For those not familiar with it, thanks to dozens of wonderful neighbors that have offered to donate cakes, cup cakes, pies, etc. we hope to be able to have a “cake walk” approximately every 15 minutes from 6:15 pm to about 8:15 or until cakes run out.  Everyone is invited to participate (sort of like musical chairs but there are no chairs) and we usually do it in groups of children, groups of strollers, groups of adults and even in groups of our favorite 4 legged friends (we will have doggie treats for them).  If you have no clue what I’m talking about, come down and see an old fashioned cake walk – we promise you a fun time.

As you walk up and down the Avenue, you will also get to get discover and take advantage of the many other activities our great businesses will be hosting.

And finally, on a serious note, as we celebrate our Nation’s freedom, we would like to do something to thank those troops that are half way around the world defending those freedoms.  We will be collecting the following items and donating them to troops overseas:

Shampoos, Deodorant, Eye Drops, International Phone cards, Gum, Toothpaste, Chapstick, Lifesavers/Hardcandy, Baby wipes, Razors, Dried fruit, Flip-flops for shower, Beef jerky & Girl Scout Cookies 🙂

Please bring items to the Farmer’s Market site on Thursday night – hopefully we will have lots of items to show our troops how much we truly appreciate all the they are doing for us.
Special thanks to Kevin Reilly and Alexandria Hyundai for being this month’s sponsor and to Kate Moran for providing the music for both this month’s First Thursday and for our cake walks.

So, let’s continue our celebration of our Nation’s Independence and come dressed in red, white and blue and plan to vacation in Del Ray.  We look forward to seeing you on the Avenue on Thursday from 6 pm to 9 pm.

And mark your calendars for future First Thursdays–August 2nd for Art Walk on the Avenue & September 6th for Always in Fashion, Del Ray!

May 03, 2012

First Thursday- Health and Wellness

Please join us for the first of the “First Thursdays” on The Avenue here in our hometown of Del Ray slated for Thursday, May 3rd 2012 from 6 – 9 pm.  This year’s theme for May is “Health & Wellness” which is sponsored by the neighboring health & wellness centers throughout Del Ray. Fun and interesting demonstrations throughout the evening at the Farmer’s Market with live music courtesy of our own bands from Rock of Ages Music, terrific raffle prizes for children and adults, and some surprises along the way.
Bring the kids, grab the dog and your bicycle and join us for a fun night!
In conjunction with First Thursday, don’t miss Mount Vernon Community School’s Bike Rodeo from 6-8 p.m. at the school. Practice bicycle street smarts by going around obstacles and over ramps in a fun, safe setting. The rodeo is designed for children who already know how to ride a bike. Experienced instructors will guide participants, and bikes and helmets will be on hand for borrowing. Free helmets and safety equipment will be available to those who need them on a first-come, first-served basis. Children also may bring their own bikes for inspection by Velocity. The rodeo is funded by a grant from the Alexandria Be Safe Coalition and VITAL Wellness Center. In the event of poor weather or lighting conditions, rodeo times may change. For more information, contact the school at 703-706-4460.