The Alexandria Brief: Monday, December 8
Snow possible, Scottish parade recap, Little Theatre opens 'A Christmas Carol' and a housing forum at the Lyceum
Good morning, Alexandria. I’m Ryan Belmore, publisher of The Alexandria Brief.
Flurries are possible as a full slate of city meetings and events takes over on Monday. Plus, thousands turned out for the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, Little Theatre opens its holiday show, and the library is calling on artists for a creative project.
1️⃣ Flurries possible as city meetings, holiday events fill Monday’s calendar
A chance of snow is in the forecast today, mainly between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., with cloudy skies and a high near 33 degrees. Northeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40%. Expect cloudy skies during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 19 degrees. The sun will rise at 7:14 a.m. and set at 4:46 p.m.
Highlights today include Monday Morning Coffee Club at Rosemont Cellar at 9 a.m., Concerts at Christ Church: Celtic Music for Christmas at 12:15 p.m., Ice & Lights: The Village at Cameron Run at 5 p.m. and Let’s Talk about Housing: Zoning for Justice and Affordability at the Lyceum at 6:30 p.m. For live music, catch Musiq Soulchild at The Birchmere at 7:30 p.m., Jim West at Laporta’s Restaurant at 6 p.m. or Colby Sard at Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub at 8:30 p.m.
City meetings include the Mental Wellness Community Coalition Meeting at 6 p.m., ARHA Special Meeting at 401 Wythe St. at 7 p.m., Bellefonte Avenue Storm Drain Community Meeting at Mt. Vernon Recreation Center at 7 p.m. and the Traffic and Parking Board meeting at 7 p.m. Alexandria City High School basketball travels to Wakefield High School for freshman, JV and varsity games starting at 4:30 p.m.
2️⃣ Pipe bands, tartans and corgis march through Old Town for 54th year
Thousands of spectators bundled up and lined the streets of Old Town Saturday as the 54th annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade marched through the city under partly sunny skies and 37-degree temperatures. Mayor Alyia Gaskins served as grand marshal, while NBC4 Northern Virginia bureau chief Julie Carey and Heather Haddock, president of the Scottish American Women’s Society of Washington, D.C., emceed.
The parade stepped off at 11 a.m. at South St. Asaph and Wolfe streets and wound through Old Town before concluding at Market Square around 1 p.m. More than 150 groups participated, including dozens of Scottish clans in colorful tartans, pipe and drum bands, the Lord and Lady Provost of Dundee (Alexandria’s Scottish sister city), and terriers, corgis and hounds of all sizes. Santa brought up the rear.
3️⃣ Tim Burton meets Dickens in Little Theatre’s ‘A Christmas Carol’
The Little Theatre of Alexandria opened its annual production of “A Christmas Carol” to a sold-out house Friday night, continuing a tradition that has delighted audiences for nearly a quarter-century.
This year’s production, directed by Michael Page, reimagines the classic Dickens tale through the eyes of a modern-day preteen artist. As her visiting grandfather reads her the story, she sketches the scenes, bringing them to life on stage in a concept Page says was inspired by “The Princess Bride” and the visual aesthetic of director Tim Burton.
4️⃣ Alexandria Library seeks artists to transform discarded chairs into art
The Alexandria Library is calling on local and regional artists to turn trash into treasure as part of a new community art project celebrating the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. The library announced Friday it is accepting applications from artists to transform nearly two dozen chairs slated for disposal into original works of art. The upcycling initiative, titled “Take a Seat for Alexandria,” will serve as a fundraiser for the Alexandria Library Foundation.
Once completed, the decorated chairs will be displayed at library branches this spring as part of the All Alexandria Reads program. The artwork will then be auctioned to the public in late spring, with all proceeds benefiting the Alexandria Library Foundation.
5️⃣ Mayor Gaskins, Atlantic editor to discuss housing crisis tonight at Lyceum
Mayor Alyia Gaskins will join journalist and author Yoni Appelbaum for a public forum on housing affordability and zoning reform on Monday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. The forum, titled “Let’s Talk About Housing: Zoning For Justice and Affordability,” comes as the city grapples with a deepening housing crisis. Alexandria has lost nearly two-thirds of its market-affordable housing since 2000, with the stock plummeting from 18,000 units to just 6,900 today.
Appelbaum is deputy executive editor at The Atlantic and author of “Stuck: How the Privileged and Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity,” published in February. The book argues that zoning laws, first developed to segregate Chinese Americans in 19th-century California, have raised housing prices, deepened political divides and trapped generations in poverty. Laura Dobbs, policy director for Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, will moderate.
The forum is part of HOME of Virginia’s “Let’s Talk About Housing” series and is presented in partnership with the Office of Historic Alexandria. The event is free, but registration is required and space is limited.
Extra Extra!
A joyful ‘Christmas Carol’ for all ages at Little Theatre of Alexandria (DC Theater Arts)
Local sorority chapter celebrates 50 years with salute to senior citizens (DC News Now)
Alexandria City Council to vote on police contract impasse, appoint permanent policing auditor Tuesday (The Alexandria Brief)
City seeks community input on Duke Street’s future at Wednesday open house (The Alexandria Brief)
ACPS School Board will host a public hearing on renaming four school facilities on Thursday (The Alexandria Brief)
Musiq Soulchild takes the stage at The Birchmere tonight and tomorrow night. (The Birchmere)