The George Washington Birthday Celebration

Celebrate George Washington's Birthday all month long

Thousands will join in the revelry for the 281st anniversary of George Washington’s birth in his hometown of Alexandria,Virginia. The city celebrates the General’s birthday throughout the month of February with more than a dozen festive events, including the George Washington birthday parade, free admission to historic sites, popular walking tours,18th-century dance classes, Madeira wine tastings, and even a cherry-themed competition among local restaurants.

On Monday, February 18, the George Washington Birthday Parade, the largest and oldest in the country celebrating this Founding Father, will wind its way through a one-mile route along the historic streets of Old Town from 1 to 3 p.m. Annually the parade includes thousands of participants including historical, community and youth groups, bands, horses and canines.More events throughout the birthday weekend make it the cornerstone of a month of celebratory events.

Alexandria is a “best of” when it comes to the spectrum of sites and special events associated with General Washington. With Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens just 8 miles south of historic Old Town, more than 140 places in Alexandria today are associated with the nation’s first president, who conducted business, gathered with friends, worshiped, and even owned a townhouse in the city.