[Archived] Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria: January 2 – 8, 2010

Monday, January 4 – 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, through April 26 any time between 10:30 a.m. and noon. 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.

Thursday, January 7 – Civil War Dance Class
In preparation for the Civil War Ball on Saturday, January 23, learn the waltz, polka, Virginia Reel and more from an expert dance master at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St. The class is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and it costs $12. Reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Coming Soon!

Saturday, January 9 – “Banished” Film Screening
How did three U.S. towns make African Americans disappear? Find out at a free screening of the documentary, “Banished: American Ethnic Cleansing,” at 4:30 p.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum (902 Wythe St.). Filmmaker Marco Williams visits some of the whitest counties in the country to confront the legacy of  banishment—a wave of racial purging that tore through the South 100 years ago. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Ongoing!

Closing Saturday, January 9, 2010 – Spirits in a Bottle Exhibition
Artist Barbara Hardaway decorated more than a hundred Arizona Tea bottles for this exhibition of decorative expressions of an ancient African tradition. This whimsical show at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., pays homage to the 9th- and 10th-century Congolese tradition of adorning the ends of tree branches with colorful bottles that would catch the sunlight. Hardaway updated this ritual by festooning her bottles with feathers, fabric, beads, netting, ribbons and seashells. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Suggested admission is $2. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Open Through Saturday, May 31, 2010 – “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts”
A new exhibition at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., blends historical photographs, artifacts and reflections to tell the story of Girl Scouting in the Washington metropolitan area. “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” features a collection of Girl Scout uniforms from the 1910s, 1930s and 1960s; Brownie items from as early as 1937; a display of cookie fundraising materials; extensive camping and hiking exhibits; and official Girl Scout gear including a canteen, collapsible cup, pocket knife, compass and more. Suggested admission is $2 and the exhibition is open through May 31, 2010. The Lyceum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.838.4994.