Winter’s finally here. Friday’s sunny but cold, Saturday could bring some snow and rain before things clear up, and Sunday’s looking flurry-ish with highs barely cracking the 30s.
Still, there’s plenty happening—Port City’s dropping its Metro Red, the farmers’ markets are back, and the Marine Band’s playing a free show Sunday afternoon.
Here’s your full guide to everything happening in Alexandria this weekend. And one more thing — if you head to something you find on this list, be sure to tell the organizers you found out about it on The Alexandria Brief!
ICYMI: Here’s what’s happening on Thursday.
Friday, January 16
Events
11 a.m.: Metro Red Release Party at Port City Brewing Company
12 p.m.: Ice & Lights - Daytime Ice Skating at Cameron Run
6 p.m.: Tarot Readings with Cats at Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe & Wine Bar
Live Music & Entertainment
219 Restaurant: Myles Deep at 9 p.m.
Alexandria Bier Garden: Karaoke at 8:30 p.m.
Blackwall Hitch: Spike Burton at 9 p.m.
Daniel O’Connell’s: Jason Hibler at 9:30 p.m.
Del Ray Pizzeria: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Galactic Panther: FunChicken: Dream Residue at 6 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Lenny Stevens at 6 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: The Satin Doll Quartet at 7:30 p.m.
Lost Boy Cider: Sleeper Car at 7 p.m.
Makeda Restaurant: Mesfin & Tsehay at 10 p.m.
Murphy’s Pub: Poehemia at 9 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Austin Miller & The Old Towne Killers at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
The Birchmere: Jarrod Lawson at 7:30 p.m.
The Light Horse: Lloyd Braun Band at 9:30 p.m.
The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6:30 p.m.
City of Alexandria
6 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
9 a.m.: CYFCC Ad Hoc Meeting with School Board Member at Junction Bakery
Alexandria City Public Schools
8 a.m.: Governance Committee at School Board Meeting Room
4 p.m.: Girls Varsity Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Girls JV Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Boys Varsity Indoor Track Invitational (Maroon & Black Relays) at Episcopal
4 p.m.: Boys JV Indoor Track Invitational at Episcopal
4:30 p.m.: Boys Freshman Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
6 p.m.: Boys JV Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
6 p.m.: Girls Varsity Swim and Dive vs. W.T. Woodson at ACHS Minnie Howard Campus
6 p.m.: Boys Varsity Swim and Dive vs. W.T. Woodson at ACHS Minnie Howard Campus
7:30 p.m.: Boys Varsity Basketball vs. W.T. Woodson at W.T. Woodson High School
Alexandria Library
All day: A Commonwealth of Cultures Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
All day: Winter Lego Building Contest (Virtual)
10:15 a.m.: Baby Storytime at Burke Branch Library
2 p.m.: Musical Movement at Burke Branch Library
3:30 p.m.: Fun Friday! at Burke Branch Library
Saturday, January 17
Events
7 a.m.: Old Town Farmers’ Market at Tavern Square
8 a.m.: Del Ray Farmer’s Market at Pat Miller Square
9 a.m.: Potomac Cleanup for MLK Jr. Day at Jones Point Park
9 a.m.: Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market along Mount Vernon Avenue
10 a.m.: Running at the brewery at Aslin ALX
11 a.m.: Shea Butter Soap Making Workshop at Shop Made in VA
12 p.m.: Ice & Lights - Daytime Ice Skating at Cameron Run
1 p.m.: Spike Hot Drinks Festival at Hops N Shine
3 p.m.: Volunteer Open House at Carlyle House
5:30 p.m.: Jazz in January: An Evening of Duke Ellington at The Rectory on Princess Street
Live Music & Entertainment
219 Restaurant: Bill Pappas Project at 9 p.m.
Alexandria Bier Garden: Rebel Rose at 8:30 p.m.
Aslin Beer ALX: Live band karaoke at 7 p.m.
Blackwall Hitch: Merlon Devine at 9 p.m.
Daniel O’Connell’s: Practically Einstein at 9:30 p.m.
Evening Star Cafe: Dena & The Dinosaurs at 8:30 p.m.
Hops N Shine: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Heather Maxwell Trio at 7 p.m.
Makeda Restaurant: Negussie & Nani at 10 p.m.
Murphy’s Pub: Poehemia & Celtic Underground DC at 9 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Shotgun Shiver at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
Rustico: Steve Lewis at 6 p.m.
The Birchmere: Avery Sunshine at 7:30 p.m.
The Light Horse: A Night To Forget at 9:30 p.m.
The Study at Morrison House: Live Piano Music at 6:30 p.m.
City of Alexandria
7 a.m.: Minnie Howard Open at Minnie Howard
8 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
10 a.m.: Saturday Hiring Event at Alexandria Police Department
12 p.m.: Alexandria Women’s History Walk at Alexandria Visitor’s Center
Alexandria City Public Schools
TBD: Boys Varsity Basketball Invitational vs. TBA at St. James Sports and Wellness Complex
8 a.m.: Girls Varsity Indoor Track (Walter Bass Invitational) at Liberty University
8 a.m.: Boys Varsity Indoor Track (Walter Bass Invitational) at Liberty University
9 a.m.: Varsity Scholastic Bowl District Tournament vs. Thomas Edison at Edison High School
9 a.m.: Girls Varsity Wrestling (Orange Girls Tournament) at Orange County High School
1 p.m.: Varsity Scholastic Bowl Region Finals vs. Thomas Edison at Edison High School
Alexandria Library
All day: A Commonwealth of Cultures Exhibit at Local History/Special Collections
All day: Winter Lego Building Contest (Virtual)
10 a.m.: Borrow a Board Game at Beatley Central Library
10:30 a.m.: VETOGA Weekly Community Yoga at Duncan Branch Library
1 p.m.: The Happiness Lab at Duncan Branch Library
1 p.m.: Dungeons & Dragons at the Library at Barrett Branch Library
Sunday, January 18
Events
8:30 a.m.: West End Farmers Market at 4800 Brenman Park
9 a.m.: Four Mile Run Farmers’ Market at Four Mile Run Park
12 p.m.: Ice & Lights - Daytime Ice Skating at Cameron Run
12 p.m.: Preservation of Carlyle House: What if we could do it over? at Carlyle House
2 p.m.: “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band at Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center
3 p.m.: Paint Your Pet: Custom Pet Portraits Workshop at Shop Made in VA
Live Music & Entertainment
219 Restaurant: Kev Powe Thang at 9 p.m.
Blackwall Hitch: Bravenoise at 10:30 a.m.
Galactic Panther: ESP’s InterGalactic Open Mic at 8 p.m.
Laporta’s Restaurant: Live music at 11:30 a.m., Steve Ragsdale at 6 p.m.
Murphy’s Pub: Rook Richards at 8:30 p.m.
O’Shaughnessy’s Pub: Karaoke at 9 p.m.
Rock It Grill: Karaoke at 9:30 p.m.
City of Alexandria
7 a.m.: Minnie Howard Open at Minnie Howard
8 a.m.: Chinquapin Open at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
Alexandria City Public Schools
No events, meetings, or games are scheduled.
Alexandria Library
All day: Winter Lego Building Contest (Virtual)
1 p.m.: Writers Group at Beatley at Beatley Central Library
2 p.m.: Alexandria Oddball Cinema: Wrong at Beatley Central Library
This is genuinely helpful for locals trying to navigate all the weekend optionsin one place. I like how the piece doesn't just list events but actually prioritizes them with that opening line about the farmers markets and Marine Band. Back when I lived near a mid-sized city, the hardest part wasn't finding things to do but filtering through twenty different event calendars to find what actually mattered, so this kind of curation saves people real time.