George Washington Birthday Celebration

10/05/2026

Mark your calendar for the 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town Alexandria on Saturday, February 13! The Parade will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., giving you time afterwards to explore Alexandria’s shops, restaurants, cafes, historic sites, and vibrant waterfront.

The 2027 Parade theme is My Brave Fellows: Honoring Washington’s Army, which honors the Continental Army’s endurance and sacrifices during one of its most difficult years in 1777 – 250 years ago.

Parade unit registration will begin in November. For more information about the George Washington Birthday Parade, visit www.washingtonbirthday.com.

09/30/2026

250 YEARS AGO TODAY: “In confidence I tell you that I never was in such an unhappy state since I was born. And if the men will stand by me … I am resolved not to be forced from this ground while I have life.” September 30, 1776 George Washington letter to Lund Washington, 9 days after the British captured New York City.

09/29/2026

GEORGE WASHINGTON IN ALEXANDRIA: The Alexandria house on Oronoco Street that is widely known as the Boyhood Home of Robert E. Lee has a history with George Washington that precedes Lee’s birth. Washington visited his friend John Potts when Potts lived here in the 1790s, and sometimes spent the night. He also dined here after attending a Christ Church service just one month before he died with another friend, William Fitzhugh, on his last visit to Alexandria.

09/24/2026

Join George Washington on Saturday, November 7 from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at the beautiful and historic Duvall House, where his “coming home” party was held upon his return from the Revolutionary War! The General will talk about his most memorable moments of the War, and answer questions about his life and times. Libations and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served. $150 per person, with proceeds to benefit the 2027 George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria. Space is limited to 40 guests, so reserve your space using the link below, or email us at [email protected] if you prefer to send a check.

https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx

09/22/2026

250 YEARS AGO TODAY: On September 22, 1776, young American officer Nathan Hale was hanged as a spy while attempting to gather intelligence for General Washington in British-controlled New York City. His death exposed the flaws of lone-wolf espionage, which eventually led Washington and Major Benjamin Tallmadge – a friend of Hale’s - to build a more sophisticated network of spies known as the Culper Spy Ring. You can learn more about the Culper Spy Ring by reading George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring that Saved the American Revolution or by streaming the 2014-2017 television series, Turn: Washington’s Spies.

09/21/2026

GEORGE WASHINGTON IN ALEXANDRIA: Did you know that George Washington often dined in the house that today is known as the Alexandria Visitor Center? It once was the home of Washington’s friend William Ramsay, a Scottish merchant who was one of the founders of Alexandria and once served as its Honorary Lord Mayor. Washington dined here with Ramsay and later with his son Dennis Ramsay, who was Mayor of Alexandria during the beginning years of his Presidency.

09/16/2026

GW PARADE IN HISTORY: The 1914 George Washington Birthday Parade was attended by President Woodrow Wilson and Vice President Thomas Marshall, who arrived in Alexandria in the Presidential yacht.

According to The New York Times, “A heavy snowstorm failed to minimize the enthusiasm of the Alexandrians and of thousands of others from Washington and other near-by places who attended the celebration. President Wilson reviewed the civic and military parade from a glass-enclosed stand, which featured troops from Fort Myer and engineers from Washington Barracks.” Photo courtesy of The Citadel Archives.

09/08/2026

GEORGE WASHINGTON FUN FACT: Did you know that George Washington has been recognized by the American Kennel Club as the father of the American Foxhound? He loved foxhunting, and developed a faster, lighter hunting dog by crossing his Virginia hounds with French hounds given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette. He owned a variety of other dog breeds throughout his lifetime that included Greyhounds, Newfoundlands, Dalmations, and different types of spaniels and terriers. He also had a sense of humor when naming them – he called his favorite hound Sweet Lips; he named a Dalmation Madame Moose; and other dogs answered to such names as Vulcan, Drunkard, True Love, and Tipler.

09/04/2026

DID YOU KNOW? General Washington was christened as an Anglican, but arranged for chaplains of other different religious denominations to be available to his troops, and expected all officers and soldiers not engaged in active duty to attend services. He himself attended a variety of services throughout the war.

03/31/2026