Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria:
June 20 – June 26, 2009

For Immediate Release: June 19, 2009

Saturday, June 20 & Sunday, June 21 – Annual Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival
The Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival will be held at Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, June 21 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The festival includes food, arts and crafts vendors and entertainment for the entire family. For more information, call Dana Brunson of the Alexandria Chapter of the American Red Cross at 703.549.8300 or visit www.waterfrontfestival.org.

Saturday, June 20 – Soldier-Led Walking Tours
At 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., a Union soldier in period uniform will lead walking tours of Fort Ward, 4301 W. Braddock Rd. The hour-long tours will introduce visitors to the history of the Defenses of Washington, the building and role of Fort Ward, 19th-century fortification engineering, and the troops who were stationed in this area during the Civil War. Walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing recommended. Free! For more information, please visit www.fortward.org or call 703.838.4848.

Sunday, June 21 – Free Father’s Day Tours
Celebrate with your favorite father at the place where the Father of our Country ate, drank, and influenced history. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N. Royal St.) is pleased to offer free tours on Father’s Day for all visiting fathers! 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, bedchambers, ballroom, assembly room and dining room. Visitors can tour at their own pace while their kids learn about Alexandria history from other kids! Cost $4 for all other adults and $2 for children (ages 11-17). For more information, visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Sunday, June 21 – Free Father’s Day Tours
Treat your father to a special tour of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105-107 S. Fairfax St.) which first opened in 1792! See the outstanding collection of herbs and botanicals, shop furnishings, apothecary bottles and equipment, many still in their original location. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Apothecary is pleased to offer free tours on Father’s Day for all visiting fathers! Cost $4 for all other adults and $2 for children (ages 11-17). For more information, visit www.apothecarymuseum.org or call 703.838.3852.

Sunday, June 21 – Father’s Day Open House
Friendship Firehouse Museum (107 S. Alfred St.) is offering special tours for fathers on Father’s Day. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Friendship Firehouse will make every father an honorary chief of the Friendship Fire Company Bucket Brigade. Every dad, with his children, will receive a certificate and have his picture taken with the Friendship fire engine. Free admission for dad and suggested admission of $2 for other visitors. For more information, visit www.friendshipfirehouse.net or call 703.838.3891.

Sunday, June 21 - West End Farmers’ Market 
The public is invited to the West End Farmers’ Market at Ben Brenman Park, located at 4800 Brenman Park Drive. The West End Farmers’ Market is open to the public on Sundays through November 22 from 9 am to 1 pm. For additional information, visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.

Monday, June 22 – Summer Quest Registration Opens
Summer Quest registration at the Alexandria Library kicks off today. Summer Quest is the reading incentive program offered annually at all four Alexandria Library branches for children ages 6-12. There is also a SummerQuest, Jr. for children ages 5 and under. The program runs throughout the summer and concludes in early August. Weekly events such as special guest entertainers, crafts, games, and other activities are scheduled as a part of the program. Summer Quest’s first official event is on Tuesday, June 23, at the Duncan Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave. At 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Kaydee Puppets will be performing Bunny Tales for children from ages 18 months to 5 years. The event is free. For more information, call 703.838.4566.

Wednesday, June 24 – Lecture: Religion in the Life of George Washington
Mary V. Thompson, research historian at Mount Vernon and recipient of the 2009 Alexandria History Award, will discuss her book, “In the Hands of a Good Providence” Religion in the Life of George Washington, at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., in this Alexandria Historical Society lecture. This free program begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public. For more information, please visit www.alexandriahistorical.org or call 703.683.2636.

Wednesday, June 24 - Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market
The public is invited to the Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market, located at the King Street Gardens Park (1806 King St.) just a few steps from the King Street Metro. The Upper King Street Fresh Farmers’ Market is open Wednesdays through October 28 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. For additional information, visit the Farmers Market Online.

Wednesday, June 24 – Lunch Bunch Concert
This Lunch Bunch concert features La Tanya Mari (Jazz Vocal) at 44 Canal Center Plaza at noon. Concerts are cancelled in the event of inclement weather and subject to change without notice. For up-to-date information, call the Special Events Hotline at 703.883.4686 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation 

Thursday, June 25 - Music at Twilight Concert
This Music at Twilight concert features Annie Sidley duo (Original Pop/R & B) at Fort Ward Park (4301 W. Braddock Rd.) at 7:30 p.m. Concerts are cancelled in the event of inclement weather and subject to change without notice. For up-to-date information, call the Special Events Hotline at 703.883.4686 or visit www.alexandriava.gov/recreation

Friday, June 26 – Lantern Tours
Tour Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 N. Royal St.) by candlelight with a costumed guide and see how guests experienced the historic tavern and hotel before the advent of electricity. Tour times are 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., and cost is $5 per person, ages 5 and up. The museum may be closed on some occasions; call 703.838.4242 in advance to verify tour dates.

Coming Soon
Saturday, June 27 – African-American Genealogy Workshop
Discover expert techniques for tracing African-American family history at Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., with “Their Voices Can Be Heard, Part III:  Tracing Kinfolks in the Neighborhood.” From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., join genealogist Char McCargo Bah at a free workshop where she explores differences in urban and rural communities that can help you make key family connections. The featured cases are from Char’s research of descendants of people buried at historic Freedmen’s Cemetery in Alexandria and her independent work in Halifax County. Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 703.838.4356. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org.

Saturday. June 27- AHS Garden School - Eco-City Principles In Action
The City of Alexandria, in cooperation with the American Horticultural Society (AHS), 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 receive a registration discount. Space is limited, so register early! To register, visit http://www.ahs.org/events/garden_schools/09/index.html, or call 703.768.5700, ext. 132.

Saturday, June 27 – Gadsby’s Volunteer Training
If you love history and have an interest in sharing it with others, then consider volunteering at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., attend this training for new volunteers which covers information about the museum and tour techniques. Interested parties should contact Michele Longo at 703.838.4242 for more information and a volunteer application. To learn more, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org.

Ongoing

2009 Summer Camps, Playgrounds & Teen Activities
The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities offers a variety of summer program opportunities for children and teens ages 3 to 17. Camp opportunities include Recreation Camps (Ages 3-12), Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center Camps (K-6th grade), Summer Programs for Children with Disabilities (Ages 3-17), Summer Playground Camps (Ages 6-12), and Summertime Fun Just-4-Teens. For additional information, visit alexandriava.gov/recreation.

Alexandria Film Festival Seeks Submissions through June 29
The Third Annual Alexandria Film Festival is soliciting entries from U.S. and international filmmakers. The festival will be held Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, at the George Washington Memorial Masonic Temple. This year, the Film Festival is partnering with Withoutabox, the film industry’s premier online service platform. To submit your film online, please visit www.withoutabox.com/login/7816. All entries submitted through Withoutabox will receive an additional discount. For more information or to obtain entry forms and submission guidelines, visit www.alexandriafilm.org. For more information, call the Alexandria Commission for the Arts at 703.838.6348 or e-mail aca@alexandriava.gov.

For more information, contact Jennifer Harris, Communications Officer, Office of Communications, at 703.746.3961 or jennifer.harris@alexandriava.gov 

PIO#164-09