[Archived] Weekly Event Announcements: April 25 - May 1, 2009

Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria: April 25 – May 1, 2009 

April 24, 2009

Saturdays, April 25 and May 2 – Spring Clean-Up 2009 
Citizens who receive the City of Alexandria's refuse services are invited to participate in Spring Clean-Up 2009. Scheduled pickups will be held each consecutive Saturday throughout the month of April and first weekend in May. Please check the Spring Clean-Up map at www.alexandriava.gov/tes/solidwaste to determine your assigned collection area and date of collection. For more information, call 703.519.3486.

Saturday, April 25 – The 16th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebration
The City of Alexandria will host the 16th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day celebration at Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Brenman Park Dr., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s theme, "Take the Green Route,” will focus on the benefits of leaving the car at home and walking, cycling or using public transportation. Admission is free, and food and beverages will be available for sale. For additional information, visit www.alexearthday.org.

Saturday, April 25 – A Walk in the Park Strides Toward Success Walkathon 

The City of Alexandria will host the 13th annual “A Walk in the Park...Strides Toward Success” walkathon at Fort Ward Park, 4301 W. Braddock Rd. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. The walkathon course is approximately two miles. All proceeds from the event will benefit Project Discovery-Alexandria, a program that helps low-income and/or first-generation students to succeed in getting into and completing college. Suggested donations are $20 for adult walkers, $5 for students. Participants may register online at www.alexandriava.gov/PDWalkathon.

Saturday, April 25 – Duncan Library Book Sale and Barbecue Extravaganza
The Duncan Branch Library (2501 Commonwealth Ave.) is hosting a “Not Your Father’s Book Sale” event from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thousands of donated books, books on tape, CDs and more will be offered for sale, with all proceeds benefiting the Duncan Library. The event will also feature story times, face painting, hourly drawings for gift certificates from local businesses, and food vendors from Rockland’s Barbeque, Evening Star Café, Buzz Bakery and Pizzaiolo Café. For more information, call 703.838.4566.
 
Sunday, April 26 – Family Tour Day
Experience historic Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N. Royal St.) through the new Junior Docent tours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Junior Docents, volunteers from grades 2 through 5, will be stationed at each stop on the tour, including the taproom, bed chambers, ballroom, assembly room and dining room. Visitors can tour at their own pace, while their kids learn about Alexandria history from other kids! Admission is $4 per adult and $2 per child (ages 11 to17). For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Monday, April 27 – Tavern Toddlers
Join us for a special program for toddlers (walkers through 36 months) and their caregivers at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. Tavern Toddlers features a weekly open playtime in Gadsby’s historic ballroom Mondays, excluding Federal holidays, any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. New themes each month! Cost is $7 for a group of three, which must include one adult, or $30 for purchase of a five-week pass. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Tuesday, April 28 – Deadline for Mail-in Absentee Ballot Applications
Elections for Mayor, City Council, and School Board are on Tuesday, May 5. The deadline for registering to receive an absentee ballot by mail is April 28; the deadline for in-person absentee voting is May 2. Visit www.alexandriavoter.org or call 703.838.4050 for complete information.

Thursday, April 30 - Poem in Your Pocket Day
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Alexandria’s Poet Laureate encourages you to carry a favorite poem (original or copied) in your pocket on April 30. Mary McElveen and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts are planning a series of poetry readings and other activities. Be prepared to be challenged by your fellow Alexandrians to read your favorite poem on April 30. For more information, visit www.AlexandriaCommissionForTheArts.org or call Cheryl Anne Colton at 703.838.6348.

Thursday, April 30 – Alexandria Waterfront Planning Public Forum #2
The second public forum on the Alexandria Waterfront Plan will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. This forum will be an opportunity for residents to hear from a panel of experts in the field of waterfront planning. They will present best practices from other waterfronts throughout the United States and around the world. A facilitated discussion will follow between the experts and community members to explore how these ideas can be interpreted for Alexandria’s waterfront. For more information, contact Andrea Barlow at 703.838.4666, ext. 665.

Thursday – Saturday, April 30 to May 2 – The Second Annual Spring for Alexandria Event
The community is invited to participate in Spring for Alexandria, a three-day celebration of giving and service throughout the City. Spring for Alexandria offers multiple opportunities for residents to become involved, including the Generations of Giving Gala on April 30; the Business Philanthropy Summit, Day of Service and Celebration on Market Square on May 1; and Lemonaide Day on May 2. Spring for Alexandria is jointly hosted by the Alexandria Community Trust, the City of Alexandria, Kids Helping Kids and Volunteer Alexandria. For more information, please call 703.836.2176 or visit www.springforalexandria.org.

Friday, May 1 – 2009 Business Personal Property Tax Returns Due
The City of Alexandria reminds taxpayers that 2009 Business Personal Property Tax returns are due May 1 from all businesses that were operating in the City as of January 1, 2009. Any business or person conducting business in the City not filing a return may be statutorily assessed and billed based on the best available information. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/businesstax.

Friday, May 1 – Deadline for Friends of Fort Ward Tour
Join the Friends of Fort Ward (FFW) for their spring bus tour of Richmond area Civil War sites on Saturday, May 9! Registration closes this week for a day-long tour that explores sites related to the Seven Days’ Battles in 1862. Stops include Tredegar Iron Works, the Richmond National Battlefield Park Visitors Center and Chickahominy Bluff. Fee of $120 for FFW members and $135 for non-members includes transportation, box lunch, snacks, and site admissions. Please call Fort Ward at 703.838.4848 to register.

Coming Soon!

Sunday, May 3 - West End Farmers’ Market Opens
The public is invited to the opening of the West End Farmers’ Market at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 3 at Ben Brenman Park, located at 4800 Brenman Park Drive. The West End Farmers’ Market is open to the public on Sundays beginning May 3 through November 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

Tuesday, May 5 – Alexandria Elections for Mayor, City Council, and School Board
The elections for Mayor, City Council, and School Board are on May 5; polling hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The deadline for registering to receive an absentee ballot by mail is April 28. The deadline for in-person absentee voting is May 2. Check www.alexandriavoter.org or call 703.838.4050 for complete information.

Monday, May 11 - Eco-City Action Plan Open House 
The City of Alexandria and the Environmental Policy Commission (EPC) invite you to attend the Eco-City Action Plan Open House from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. This will be an opportunity for residents, the EPC and the City to review and discuss the draft Phase II Environmental Action Plan, which focuses on long-term actions the City and residents can do during the next 20 years to make Alexandria an Eco-City. For more information, please contact Eco-CityAlexandria@alexandriava.gov or the Office of Environmental Quality, Department of Transportation & Environmental Services, at 703.838.4334.

Ongoing

Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission Seeks Nominations for the 2009 CIVIC Awards
The Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission is seeking nominations for the 2009 CIVIC Awards. The annual awards program recognizes the unsung volunteer efforts of Alexandrians who are involved in their communities and who have provided a valuable service to Alexandria in meeting recreation, park, or cultural needs. Deadline to submit a nomination is Thursday, June 11, 2009. For additional information, call 703.838.4343 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

April through May – All Alexandria Reads 2009
The Alexandria Library presents All Alexandria Reads 2009, a community-based reading cooperative program designed to create a dialog through reading. This year’s book is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver is a Virginia author who chronicles her family’s attempt to eat homegrown, locally produced food. The book explores the origins of food and the effect of our eating habits on the environment and economy. From April to May, Alexandria Library will hold community events that relate to the themes of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. For more information about All Alexandria Reads, visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us.

Saturday, June 27 – City of Alexandria Hosts AHS Garden School, Registration Now Open
The City of Alexandria, in cooperation with the American Horticultural Society, will host a new Garden School, “Green Garage®: Sustainable and Earth-Friendly Solutions for the Landscape” from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St. Garden School participants will learn about environmentally friendly gardening practices from organic lawn care and water conservation to soil health and creating wildlife habitats. AHS members and City of Alexandria residents will receive a registration discount. Space for this exclusive program is limited, so early registration is recommended. To register, visit www.ahs.org/events/garden_schools/09/index.htm, or call 703.768.5700, ext. 132.
For more information, contact Jennifer Harris, Communications Officer, Office of Communications, at 703.838.5078 or jennifer.harris@alexandriava.gov 

PIO#111-09