Alexandria And USA Birthday Celebration: Details, Where To View Fireworks

ALEXANDRIA, VA — While Independence Day fireworks events have come and gone, there is one more happening in Alexandria over the weekend.

Alexandria typically holds its Alexandria and USA Birthday Celebration after the July 4 holiday. This year's event falls on Saturday, July 12.

Here are the details:

What: Alexandria and USA Birthday Celebration

Where: Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St, Alexandria, VA, 22314

When: Saturday, July 12, 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.

Celebrate Alexandria's 276th and the USA’s 249th birthday from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 12 with live music, food and drink vendors, and a fireworks display on the Potomac River at 9:30 p.m.

Activities planned award-winning beers from Port City Brewing Company, local food truck vendors serving food and dessert along Pendleton Street, a misting tent and free water from Virginia America Water, two cooling buses from DASH at Madison and Fairfax Street, solar-powered charging stations along the Mount Vernon Trail from Dominion Energy, cupcakes from Wegmans, and an arts and retail area by Made in ALX at Wythe Street Park near Mount Vernon Trail.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the event. Grilling, smoking, tents, pets, smoking and large or staked umbrellas are not permitted. An area for lost persons will be located at the city stage and at the city birthday information tent near the center of the park at the Mount Vernon Trail. The city encourages walking, biking and taking public transit to the event, but some on-street parking and parking garages will be available. Handicapped-accessible parking will be available in the 500 block of N. Fairfax Street.

In the case of inclement weather, the full event will be rescheduled to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 13.

Here is the schedule:

• 6 p.m. - Introduction by Master of Ceremonies George Worrell, Opening Act music by DJ Geena Marie
• 7:30 p.m. - Town crier announces Mayor Alyia Gaskins; poetry reading by Alexandria Poet Laureate Maria Cristina Donoso; acknowledgements
• 8 p.m. - Distribution of birthday cupcakes by members of City Council
• 8:30 p.m. - Performance by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
• 9:30 p.m. - Grand finale fireworks display, Ceremonial cannons by the Presidential Salute Battery
• 9:45 p.m. - Closing remarks

Fireworks viewing locations include:

• Canal Center Plaza (Center Canal Plaza)
• Rivergate Park (2 Montgomery St.)
• Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison St.)
• Founders Park (351 North Union St.)
• Waterfront Park (1A Prince St.)
• Point Lumley Park, (1 Duke St.)
• Windmill Hill Park (501 South Union St.)
• Fords Landing boardwalk (99 Franklin St.)
• Jones Point Park (Jones Point Drive)
• George Washington Masonic Temple (101 Callahan Drive)

Attendees should be aware of the Blue Line shutdown that closed the Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations from July 5 to 26. Free shuttle options include a local shuttle between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St., Eisenhower Ave. and King St.-Old Town every eight to 10 minutes and an express shuttle between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon every eight to 10 minutes.

In addition, Metro will have single-tracking on the Yellow Line between Huntington and Braddock Road on July 12 and 13 and July 19 and 20. Riders should expect delays in this area.