Portside in Old Town

The Washington, D.C. region’s most historic waterfront launches Portside in Old Town, a new programming series that activates the Alexandria waterfront near King Street with free-to-the-public themed happenings in history, art, music and fitness with activities for families and for adults, plus additional pop-up experiences and events. The series kicked off with the Portside in Old Town Festival October 12 to 14, 2018, and continues through 2019.

Location Update: New Portside activities launch at Waterfront Park (1A Prince Street) and the Alexandria City Marina (0 Cameron Street) as anticipation grows for the opening of a greatly expanded new park area at the foot of King Street, which will open later this fall following some weather-related construction delays.

Virtual Tour

Featured Events

Waterfront Programming

Coming in 2019

February 2019 – Virginia is for Lovers LOVE Letters

Strike a pose with the 6-foot-tall LOVE letters representing the iconic Virginia is for Lovers slogan, coming to Alexandria’s waterfront at 1 King Street for the week of Valentine's Day, February 11 to 17, 2018. Share the love by posting your photo on social media with the hashtag #LoveVA. To celebrate the LOVE letters arrival, local stationary store Penny Post will host a love letter writing activity. The Virginia is for Lovers campaign is designed to promote family-friendly vacation experiences in Virginia.

March 2019 – New Public Art Installation

Alexandria’s waterfront will feature a dynamic temporary public art installation from New York City studio SOFTlab, in place March through November.

June 2019 - Tall Ship Providence Arrival

The biggest splash at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront in 2019 will come from the tall ship Providence, arriving in June as a permanent attraction. This celebrity tall ship, which has appeared in the Academy Award-winning film Master and Commander and in the international blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean, is a full-scale replica of one of the U.S. Continental Navy’s first warships, which was captained by John Paul Jones, the father of the U.S. Navy, under the leadership of General George Washington. Built in 1768, the ship’s first mission in the American Revolution was to clear the Chesapeake Bay of enemy British ships. The public can look forward to public tours, chartered cruises, educational programs and beer cruises presented in partnership with Alexandria’s own Port City Brewing Company.

Thank You, Founding Funders

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