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The ALX Dog Walk stepped off into a warm, 60-degree morning along the Potomac on Saturday as more than 2,000 dogs and their owners gathered at Oronoco Bay Park, roughly doubling last year's turnout and launching the fifth annual two-mile walk and sustainability festival in partnership with the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria for the first time.
"It is such a joy to look out and see so many people, but also so many dogs," Mayor Alyia Gaskins told the crowd from the main stage shortly before the 8:15 a.m. start. Gaskins urged walkers to use the route along the river to reflect on "the beautiful planet that we have" and on Alexandria's commitment to sustainability.
The mayor saluted founder Julie Chapman, who launched the event five years ago. "What she said to me, she said it's been a huge blessing, and it's taught her that what you give, you get back more," Gaskins said.
Chapman, in the teal T-shirt worn by the event's volunteer corps, thanked top sponsors including The Zebra Press, NBC4 Washington, Morgan Stanley and WTOP News. She called Scarlet Yang, a 10th-grader, to the stage and presented her with a $500 prize for designing the 2026 event logo — a step up for Yang, who was a runner-up in last year's inaugural T-shirt design contest.
This year's event marked the debut of a collaboration with AWLA, which CEO Stella Hanly said is celebrating its 80th year serving Alexandria. "Even my pet is thrifted," Hanly said, tying the league's adoption mission to the walk's plastic-free theme. She said about eight adoptable dogs, including puppies, were available at the AWLA tent and pointed attendees to two upcoming events: a tattoo fundraiser at Madison Street Tattoos next Saturday and Paws in the Park at Oronoco Bay Park in October.
NBC4 Washington Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell returned as emcee for his fifth straight year, with his 6-year-old dog, Kyle, at his side. Bell took credit for the weather after a bitterly cold first year. "Welcome to June in April," he told walkers. "This time tomorrow it'll be 55 and pouring down rain."
Walkers headed down Union Street and looped back along the Waterfront Walk to Oronoco Bay Park. The Plastic Art Show opened at 9 a.m., followed by an AWLA Adoptable Dog Strutt at 9:15 a.m. and the wedding chic dog fashion show at 9:30 a.m., judged by Monte Durham of "Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta." A Plastic Pup silent-auction bid table closed at 10 a.m., a park game drawing followed at 10:15 a.m., and the event was scheduled to wrap at 11 a.m.
Beyond the walk and fashion show, the festival featured a doggie obstacle course, kids' play stations, a photo booth, a puppy tattoo artist, and DJ music. Hypergoat Coffee Roasters, 215 N. Payne St., poured free ethically sourced coffee for the first 500 walkers who brought a mug. The Board of Lady Managers of Inova Hospital ran a bake sale, Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail sold canned water to support trail work, and a Girl Scouts lemonade stand benefited the nonprofit Sustainability Matters.
Local artists displayed works made primarily from plastic at the Plastic Art Show Competition, produced in collaboration with The Art League and The Alexandria Arts Alliance. Nonprofits filled the Spring2ACTion Nonprofit Village ahead of ACT for Alexandria's annual giving day on April 22.
Also new this year, the Alexandria Police Department launched its Dog Walker Watch, a community public-safety program, with McGruff the Crime Dog on hand for photo opportunities. Chapman said Eco City Alexandria debuted a soccer dart game at the festival, thanking executive director Ryan Freed and his team for joining the lineup.
Organizers encouraged participants to join fundraising teams benefiting the ALX Dog Walk's year-round sustainability education programming and AWLA. The event's online fundraising tally stood at $27,415 as of 12 p.m., or 68% of a $40,000 goal, up from $17,285 earlier in the week.
Individual registration was $35 — unchanged since the walk began in 2022. The first 150 active and retired military members registered free, students paid $25, and children 12 and under walked at no charge. The ALX Dog Walk, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, stages the event annually to promote plastic-free and sustainable living across the Washington region.
At the finish line, a hand-lettered sign spelled out the reward waiting at the end of the two miles: "Treats and belly rubs for all."
