[Archived] Alexandria Honors Washington's 275th Birthday With Nation's Largest Parade

City Press Release


	For Immediate Release	For More Information, Contact
	February 17, 2007 PIO# Brian Hannigan, Director of Communications, 703-838-3872	or John Irvine, Parade Publicity Director, 703-887-7643 Raynard Owens, Communications Officer, at 703.838.4300

Old Town Alexandria Honors Washington’s 275^thBirthday
With Nation’s Largest Parade on Monday Holiday

An Alexandria tradition for more than eighty-five years, America’s largest Washington’s Birthday Parade will step off at 1 p.m. on Monday to celebrate the 275^th Birthday of Alexandria’s most famous historical resident.

More than 3,500 participants will march, ride floats and antique autos, and perform along the rectangular parade route in Alexandria’s Old Town historic district. The parade’s over 120 units will include marching bands, bicycles, clowns, dogs, balloons, fire trucks, military units and, of course, George and Martha Washington.

The Honorable Marian Van Landingham, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, will serve as the Parade’s Grand Marshall. Official dignitaries will include Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille, and members of the Alexandria City Council and Virginia Senate and House of Delegates.

Parade units include: The Twirl Factory; Old Dominion Fire Historical Society; KENA Temple; Crew from the USS Alexandria; U.S. Military District of Washington; U.S. Army “The Old Guard”; Loco Llamas 4-H Club; Jim Moyer Circus Club; American Legion Posts; Disabled American Veterans, Mount Vernon Chapter, Combat Veterans of America Motorcycle Club, and United States Park Police Horsemounted Unit,

Band units include the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, City of Alexandria Pipes & Drums, Fishburne Military School Band, George Washington Middle School Band, T.C. Williams High School Band, and the Fifes and Drums of Prince William III.

Monday’s weather forecast calls for bright sunshine with highs in the upper thirties. Old Town’s many restaurants, taverns, and coffeehouses and sandwich shops will be open for business to cater to parade-goers’ needs.

The Parade begins at the intersection of Wilkes and South St. Asaph Streets and heads north to Queen Street; east to Royal St.; south to King St.; east to Fairfax St.; and south on Fairfax to the end at Gibbon St.. The reviewing stand is located next to Gadsby’s Tavern, at the intersection of Royal and Cameron Streets.

DASH transit will offer free Parade Shuttle Service between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. between the Eisenhower Metrorail station and Prince and Washington Streets in Old Town, next to the Lyceum, Alexandria’s History Museum. The free shuttle will provide Parade-goers with a convenient opportunity to ride the Yellow Line or drive and park at the Eisenhower Station. DASH’s convenient DASH-About shuttles will also operate between the King Street Metrorail Station and Market Square. Parking is limited at King Street Station.

Many of Old Town Alexandria’s historic sites will offer free admission in honor of the George Washington Day holiday, including The Lyceum, 210 So. Washington St.; Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.; Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred St.; Carlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax St.; Lee-Fendall House Museum, 614 Oronoco St.; and Christ Church, 614 Oronoco St.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, Old Town Alexandria’s newest historical attraction at 105 S. Fairfax St., will also welcome visitors for its first Washington’s Birthday celebration since its reopening late last year under the management of the Office of Historic Alexandria.

For more information about the parade, parking, route, and DASH and Metro information, visit WashingtonBirthday.org or call 703-991-4474.

The Parade and other Alexandria Washington’s Birthday events are produced by the George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee, in conjunction with the City of Alexandria. To arrange an interview with Committee officials, contact John Irvine at 703-887-7643.

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