Photo by Chris Cruz for Visit Alexandria
Portside in Old Town takes place June 16, 17 in Alexandria.
The Portside in Old Town Summer Festival sponsored by Ting Internet returns riverside for a two-day soiree kicking off summer on Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17. This free festival features an array of live music, local craft beer from Port City Brewing Company and fun for the whole family at Alexandria’s Waterfront Park.
New this year:
• Port City Brewing Company’s team will serve Lost Boy Cider’s Comeback Kid, Virginia wine and Hopwell, Port City’s hops-infused sparkling water, in addition to their beloved beer offerings.
• A Lawn Game Zone from festival sponsor Ting will entertain guests with cornhole and Connect 4.
• A new retail presence at the base of King Street will include Made in ALX, Ten Thousand Villages, White Lily Shoppe, Inti Phaxsi Gems, Sophisticate Supply and more.
• Complimentary bike valet service will be offered on Saturday by Two Wheel Bike Valet, located at the HB Parking Lot at 300 N. Lee Street.
• Guests can stay for the weekend with discounted hotel rates accessible via PortsideFestival.com, with rates valid Friday, June 16 through Monday, June 19, 2023. No minimum stay is required. Another option is the “Love, Alexandria” hotel package which includes water taxi passes, free parking and Key to the City museum passes (restrictions apply).
Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., the Portside Festival once again merges with the 45th Annual ALX Jazz Fest to showcase jazz performances and readings by local poets. Festival-goers will enjoy a dynamic lineup featuring jazz vibraphone from the Joe Baione Quintet, Alexandria born-and-raised bassist and composer Michael Hawkins and his band The Brotherhood, and celebrated vocalist Sharón Clark.
Musical sets will be complemented by interludes of poetry from Zeina Azzam, the City of Alexandria’s Poet Laureate; Sami Miranda, a published author and artist; and two Alexandria City Public Schools student poet laureates. Friday’s festivities will be emceed by award-winning poet C. Alexandria-Bernard Thomas, a queer Black non-binary teaching artist and advocate.
ALX Jazz Fest performers were selected through a collaboration with the Office of the Arts and the 2023 Alexandria Jazz Fest Activation Team comprised of John Hasse (Smithsonian), Suraya Mohamed (NPR Music) and Jeremy Castillo (Levine School of Music). Friday’s musical lineup will serve as the inspiration for an onsite live mural painted by Aniekan Udofia.
Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m., the Portside Festival continues with wide-ranging musical acts starting with nouveau flamenco group Ouros, featuring Danny Knicely on mandolin; Ethiopian vocalist Kalkidan Meshesha; and indie soul group Oh He Dead.
Blues guitar aficionados will enjoy the collaboration of The Linwood Taylor Band with special guest Sol Roots. Close out the evening on your feet with danceable zydeco tunes from Louisiana’s Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble and salsa from Hermanos Galván y Orquesta. Alexandria-based musicians and founders of the Yellow Door Concert Series, Vaughn and Robyn Ambrose, are guest musical curators and emcees for Saturday’s performances.
On Friday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m., family-friendly offerings include lawn games, hands-on art and history activities and more. Festival sponsor Ting presents a Lawn Game Zone with cornhole and Connect 4. Meet local artists and explore various art projects from the Office of the Arts, while also learning more about how you can get involved. Create art out of repurposed items with Alexandria’s UpCycle Creative Reuse Center.
Try your hand at making chocolate with the Office of Historic Alexandria, as you discover chocolate’s historic origins through the demonstration of tools and techniques originally developed by ancient cultures of Central and South America. On Saturday, Safe Space NOVA will offer activities such as rock painting, bubbles, plantings and more in alignment with its mission to support LGBTQ+ youth. The tall ship Providence team will have an informational tent on site in anticipation of the opening of the Senator John Warner Maritime Heritage Center, the ship’s new home and visitor experience at Waterfront Park.
A new retail presence at the base of King Street will include handmade wares from Alexandria shops Made in ALX and Ten Thousand Villages, natural bath and skincare products from White Lily Shoppe, jewelry from Inti Phaxsi Gems and leather goods from Sophisticate Supply.
On both days of the festival, award-winning Port City Brewing Company will serve their local craft beer and hops-infused sparkling water, Hopwell, along with Lost Boy Cider’s Comeback Kid and Virginia wines. Attendees can also enjoy a selection of food and drinks from Alexandria-based small businesses Borinquen Lunch Box, Chalkboard Wings & BBQ, Dolci Gelati, The Italian Place and Kungfu Kitchen.
Festival attendees are encouraged to leave their car behind and take advantage of transportation options including free DASH buses and the free King Street Trolley. Pedal to Old Town and enjoy complimentary bike valet service on Saturday at the HB Parking Lot located at 300 N. Lee Street, offered by Two Wheel Bike Valet. Take Metro’s Blue or Yellow Lines to the King St-Old Town station and stroll one mile on King Street to the waterfront or take the free King Street Trolley to Market Square then walk two blocks to the festival. For more modes of transportation, including the water taxi and parking recommendations, check out the festival website.
Make it a weekend in Alexandria with five hotels offering discounted rates accessible via PortsideFestival.com, with rates valid Friday, June 16 through Monday, June 19, 2023. No minimum stay is required. Additionally, 14 hotels are offering the “Love, Alexandria” package with rates starting as low as $149 per night and inclusive of up to $200 in added value with water taxi passes, free parking and Key to the City museum passes (restrictions apply).
Volunteers who wish to join the team that brings this event to the community can sign up via Volunteer Alexandria’s portal to become an activity volunteer or an info tent/survey volunteer.
The Portside in Old Town Summer Festival sponsored by Ting is produced by Visit Alexandria in partnership with the City of Alexandria’s Office of the Arts, a division of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities.
The 2023 festival sponsors and partners are: Ting, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Dominion Energy and Volunteer Alexandria. Festival title sponsor Ting Internet provides super-fast fiber internet in select U.S. towns and cities. Ting is committed to net neutrality, digital equity, the open internet and improving the communities we serve by supporting and championing local good works.
For a full festival schedule and more information, visit PortsideFestival.com.
