Fireworks, Food Vendors, Music Planned For Alexandria, USA Birthday Celebration

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Fourth of July has come and gone, but Alexandria has one more fireworks event to look forward to.

Alexandria celebrates its own 274th birthday and the USA's 247th birthday starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 8 and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The event at Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison St.) includes live music, food vendors, family activities, birthday cupcakes, and a fireworks finale. Admission is free.

The schedule for the Birthday Celebration is:

• 6 p.m.: Performance by Three Man Soul Machine, food vendors open on Pendleton Street, art activities at Office of the Arts tent and Mobile Art Lab, information at Alexandria Library tent and hands-on Declaration of Independence project with Office of Historic Alexandria, free solar-powered charging stations from Dominion Energy open
• 7:30 p.m.: Welcome by NPR’s Suraya Mohamed, announcement by Town Crier, remarks by Mayor Justin Wilson, poetry by Alexandria Poet Laureate Zeina Azzam
• 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 with Alexandria Symphony Orchestra performing 1812 and cannons by the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)

Viewing locations for fireworks will 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) and George Washington Masonic Temple (101 Callahan Drive).

There will also be a livestream of the fireworks on the City of Alexandria's website.

At Oronoco Bay Park, attendees may bring lawn chairs and blankets. Grilling, smoking, tents, large or staked umbrellas, smoking and pets are not permitted at the park. There will be an area to locate lost persons at the city stage.

In the event of a weather-related cancellation, the event would be rescheduled to Sunday, July 9 at 6 p.m. Check the City of Alexandria's website and social media for updates if bad weather occurs.