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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. 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.
Alexandria was founded in 1749 by Scottish merchants and named after Scotsman John Alexander, who owned the land. The parade has celebrated that heritage for more than 50 years.
Saturday evening, the 25th annual Holiday Boat Parade of Lights closed out Alexandria’s biggest holiday weekend as dozens of decorated boats cruised along the Potomac River waterfront.
