Photo courtesy of Pixabay
It's the unofficial beginning of fall.
Labor Day marks the unofficial beginning of fall and it's one of Alexandria's busiest seasons of the year. Between now and Thanksgiving, the city hosts two juried art festivals, a Bavarian beer garden in Carlyle, one of the country's best-known Halloween parades, a 20th-anniversary film festival and a cider tasting in an 18th-century garden.
Here's what's on the calendar, organized by month. A few tickets are already close to selling out — the Historic Alexandria Homes Tour closes online sales Sept. 10 — so this is a good time to start planning.
October
31st Annual Art on the Avenue
Oct. 3, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Mount Vernon Avenue between Hume and Bellefonte avenues, Del Ray | Free
The biggest single day on Del Ray's calendar. More than 300 artists — jewelers, woodworkers, potters, glassmakers, painters, fabric artists — line 10 blocks of the avenue alongside live music on multiple stages, international food vendors and children's activities. Avenue restaurants stay open throughout. Virginia Living readers have repeatedly named it a "Best Live Event."
Civil War Camp Day
Oct. 3 | Fort Ward Park, 4301 W. Braddock Road
An annual living history program at the best-preserved of the Union forts that ringed wartime Washington, with military and civilian reenactors in camp, infantry and artillery drills, firing demonstrations and equipment displays. The Fort Ward Museum is open Thursdays and Fridays 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sundays 1–5 p.m.
Fall Wine Festival at George Washington's Mount Vernon
Oct. 9–11, 6–9 p.m. | 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway | Friday $62 general/$49.60 members; Saturday $66/$52.80; Sunday $51/$40.80
Unlimited samples from Virginia wineries on the East Lawn overlooking the Potomac, with a commemorative glass and live music from Bruce Ewan & Johnny Burgin Blues Band. Guests can walk through the Mansion in the evening, a rare after-hours experience. VIP tables seat 12 and include three bottles to take home and private waiter service. This one sells out most years.
Grand African Run
Oct. 10 | Main Line Boulevard 5K route
A 5K welcoming runners and walkers of all ages and paces.
HalloQueen Drag Brunch at King & Rye
Oct. 10 | The Alexandrian, 480 King St.
Live entertainment, brunch and a costume contest.
Paws in the Park
Oct. 11 | Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St.
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria's fall festival, with vendors, food and drink, music and adoptable dogs.
30th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade
Oct. 25 | Mount Vernon Avenue, beginning at E. Bellefonte Avenue | Free
Named one of the 10 best Halloween parades in the country by USA Today, and marking its 30th year. Costumed children, pets and decorated strollers march the avenue, ending with live music and awards at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center field. The DRBA typically runs a pet costume contest, a stroller and group contest, best-decorated house and business competitions and a scavenger hunt along the avenue; registration for the contests is free and happens on-site before the parade.
Halloween Bar Crawl
Oct. 30–31 | The Light Horse and participating Old Town bars | Ticketed
A two-day costumed crawl through Old Town.
Alexandria Fall-O-Ween
Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. | John Carlyle Square Park, 300 John Carlyle St.
A family-friendly close to spooky season with a costume parade, artisan booths, Halloween desserts, a beer garden and kids' activities.
Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
Oct. 31 | 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway | Ticketed
Ghost tours, all season
Alexandria Colonial Tours runs its lantern-led Ghost & Graveyard Tour through the season and has added a River Route Ghost & Pirate Tour along the waterfront. Tours depart from the Alexandria Visitor Center at Ramsay House, 221 King St. Nightly Spirits leads a separate set of tours focused on Old Town's historic pubs.
November
Lessons from the Founding: The 2026 George Washington Symposium
Nov. 5–7 | George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon | Ticketed
20th Annual Alexandria Film Festival
Nov. 13–15 | Venues across Alexandria | Tickets and schedule
The festival turns 20 over Veterans Day weekend with three days of feature films, documentaries, shorts and filmmaker discussions. Individual screening tickets and full-festival passes are both available. Jury awards include Best of Fest, the Joe Cantwell Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, Best Foreign Language Film, a Regional Award and an Audience Award, announced at the closing ceremony Nov. 15. The nonprofit festival is supported in part by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the City of Alexandria.
Alexandria Cider Festival
Nov. 21, 1–5 p.m. | Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington St., and on Queen Street | 21 and over
Hosted by the Office of Historic Alexandria with the Virginia Association of Cider Makers as part of Virginia Cider Week. Tickets include tastings from Virginia cideries, a souvenir cider cup, live music, tavern games and history programming. Cider was a staple in 18th- and early 19th-century Alexandria, poured at taverns including Gadsby's. The festival has sold out in recent years; tickets are sold through The Alexandria Shop, and designated-driver tickets are typically offered at a reduced price.
51st Annual Alexandria Turkey Trot
Nov. 26, 9 a.m. | George Washington Middle School, start and finish
A Thanksgiving morning institution: a flat, USATF-certified five-mile run and walk through the heart of Del Ray, organized by DC Road Runners with the Del Ray Business Association. Dogs and strollers are welcome and have their own start area. The race supports ALIVE!, the Alexandria nonprofit addressing food and housing insecurity, and runners are asked to bring two nonperishable food items on race day. The course is Metro accessible from Braddock Road station. In-person registration opens at 7:30 a.m. race morning and closes at 8:30; there are no mail-ins, refunds or transfers.
All Season Long
Del Ray Farmers' Market — Saturdays, Pat Miller Neighborhood Square at Oxford and Mount Vernon avenues.
Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market — Second Saturdays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Mount Vernon and Bellefonte avenues. More than 50 vendors across three locations; named the best flea market in the state by Domino.
Old Town Farmers Market — Saturdays. Note that construction at Market Square has temporarily relocated one of the nation's longest continuously operating farmers markets to the 100 block of N. Royal St.
Gustave Art & Craft Market — Second Saturdays, Gustave Jardin, 2213 Mount Vernon Ave.
Event details are subject to change. Confirm dates, times and ticket availability with organizers before you go.
