Historic Alexandria to launch America250 celebration with Jan. 26 kick-off event
Evening program at The Lyceum will preview year of exhibitions and events marking nation's Semiquincentennial
Historic Alexandria will officially launch its America250 commemoration with a public event on Monday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum.
Guest speakers will reflect on the significance of the nation’s 250th anniversary and Virginia’s role in shaping what organizers describe as a fuller, more inclusive American story. Attendees will get a first look at the exhibitions, programs and events planned throughout the year.
The kick-off precedes a busy calendar that begins with the George Washington Birthday Parade on Feb. 14 and culminates in the summer with Sails on the Potomac from June 12–14, featuring tall ships and performances by Alexandria Jazz Fest.
New exhibitions are slated to open across the city this spring, including “George Washington: A Revolutionary Life” at Mount Vernon in March, which will immerse visitors in Washington’s world through recreated spaces, interactive role-playing and lifelike figures. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum will debut an exhibit in March highlighting Hannah Griffith, who ran a coffeehouse there from 1794–1800.
The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum will open “Stories of U.S. Collections Capture our History” in June, and artist Sandy Williams IV’s public art installation commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence will be on view from May through November.
Fireworks displays are scheduled at Mount Vernon on July 3 and 4, with the city’s combined 277th birthday and America’s 250th celebration set for July 11 at Oronoco Bay Park.
For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/america250.
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Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
