[Archived] Weekly Event Announcements: October 25 - 31, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2008    

Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria
 October 25 -October 31, 2008 

Saturday, October 25 – Walk to Fight Breast Cancer
The Alexandria Walk to Fight Breast Cancer will begin at 8:00 a.m. This year’s Walk, sponsored by the City of Alexandria and the Inova Alexandria Hospital Foundation, will begin and end at the AMC Hoffman Center Theaters, located at Eisenhower Avenue and Swamp Fox Road in Alexandria. For more information and to register, visit www.alexcancerwalk.com or call 703.746.5030.

Saturday, October 25 – Heritage Trail Bike Ride
This year’s Heritage Trail Bike Ride honors the late Ellen Pickering whose efforts to establish a bike path in Alexandria along the Potomac resulted in a major part of the Mount Vernon Trail. Meet at Daingerfield Island at 10 a.m. for a 15-mile guided tour, with a shorter 3-mile family ride to Founders Park and back. Tour returns to Daingerfield Island at 1 p.m. Free, but reservations and helmets are required. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a participating adult. Save your space by e-mailing archaeology@alexandriava.gov or calling 703.838.4399.

Saturday, October 25 – Virginia Waterways 2008 Clean Up 
The City of Alexandria seeks volunteers to participate in the Clean Virginia Waterways Clean Up event from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Volunteers will meet at the southeast corner of Founders Park, 351 N. Union Street. This event is part of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Clean Up day. Join local volunteers from across the region to clean up local streams of the Potomac River. This event will take place rain or shine. For additional information, contact Jesse Maines, Office of Environmental Quality, at 703.838.4334.

Sunday, October 26 – Final West End Farmers’ Market at Ben Brenman Park 
The public is invited to shop at the West End Farmers’ Market beginning at 9 a.m. at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Dr. The West End Farmers’ Market is open Sundays, May through October, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. Find your Halloween pumpkins from displays of large and small pumpkins, and pick from a variety of gourds for Thanksgiving decorations. This will be the final weekend of the market for 2008. The market will resume in spring 2009. For additional information, call the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.838.4343.

Sunday, October 26 – HistoricAlexandriALIVE
Don’t miss the last HistoricAlexandriALIVE regular performances of the year! Between noon and 5 p.m., watch Alexandria's historic past come to life! See live, engaging performances at the Waterfront behind the Torpedo Factory. Straight from Europe, the great Italian equilibrist Signora Bella will amaze and delight audiences by juggling flaming torches and sharp Turkish swords and balancing on the rola bola, slack rope and a large sphere! KD Puppets will entertain visitors with classics such as Rapunzel and the Three Little Pigs – but with a modern twist! Special holiday performances are being planned. For more information, please visit oha.alexandriava.gov/oha-main/oha-historicAlexandriaLive.html.

Monday, October 27 – Tavern Toddlers
Because it’s never too early for kids to appreciate history, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum developed a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime every Monday through April at the museum, 134 North Royal St. Cost is $7 for a group of three and the program runs 10:30 a.m. to noon. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Wednesday, October 29  – Final Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market
The 2008 Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the King Street Gardens Park, 1806 King St., just a few steps from the King Street Metro. It is open rain or shine. The market offers area residents and commuters the opportunity to shop for fresh, locally grown produce, home made goods and bakery items. This will be the final weekday of the market for 2008. For additional information, call Debra Monahan with the Upper King Street Neighborhood Association at 703.683.1696.

Wednesday, October 29  – Duncan Author Reading Series
The Duncan Author Reading Series will host local author Kim Murphy to discuss her book, Whispers from the Grave. The discussion will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Duncan Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave. For more information, call 703.838.4566.

Thursday, October 30 – Alexandria Lights for Bikes Event
Please join the City of Alexandria and the Washington Area Bicycle Association to promote bicycle safety at the Alexandria Lights for Bikes event. It will be held at Cora Kelly Elementary School, 3600 Commonwealth Ave. Free bike lights will be handed out to cyclists as part of the fall “Got Lights?” bicycle safety and education campaign. Timed to coincide with daylight savings time, the purpose behind the “Got Lights?” campaign is to reach out to bike commuters and other cyclists riding in the dark without the proper safety equipment. For more information, please visit www.alexandriava.gov/localmotion.

Thursday, October 30 & Friday, October 31 – Poe in Alexandria
For Halloween, actor David Keltz recreates Edgar Allan Poe’s visit to Virginia in 1849. The performances at The Lyceum (201 S. Washington St.), include recitations from classic works such as “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and many others. Show begins at 8 p.m. both nights and is best suited for children 12 and older. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.alexandriahistory.org or by calling 703.838.4994.

Open through Saturday, November 15 – “Ah, THAT Jack and Jill!” Exhibition
“Ah, THAT Jack and Jill! Parents Empowering African-American Children,” is now on exhibit at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street. Jack and Jill of America, Inc., a national organization of mothers and children, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The exhibition highlights the organization’s history and the role of chapters in providing cultural, educational, recreational and community service opportunities to enhance and enrich the lives of children. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is $2. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Open through Wednesday, December 31 – Drawings by William Lydston, Jr. Exhibition
This exhibition of Civil War artwork at Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site (4301 W. Braddock Rd.) has been extended through the end of the year. Civil War drawings by soldier, artist and musician William Lydston, Jr., are featured in this exhibit with musical instruments and related objects as part of the statewide celebration of Virginia’s musical heritage. Admission to the museum is free. The exhibition is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.fortward.org or call 703.838.4848.