SHIP TOURS, HISTORY, BEER & PIZZA ON THE WATERFRONT
ALEXANDRIA, VA–Portside in Old Town, a new waterfront programming series, kicks off with the Portside in Old Town Festival October 12 to 14, 2018.
LOCATION
The 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.
The weekend features free tours of the tall ship Godspeed, a waterfront beer garden from Port City Brewing Company, a pop-up Pizzeria Paradiso plus live music and history, art and fitness activities. Admission to the festival is free.
The festival lineup also includes an LED light performance by Incandescent Entertainment presented by The Athenaeum, a pop-up exotic car exhibit to preview next year’s Alexandria Festival of Speed and Style, a free kids’ pizza-making demo by Pizzeria Paradiso, a free kids decorative craft project from AR Workshop, a free outdoor group fitness class from Sand & Steel Fitness and more.
Godspeed (Courtesy photo)
Jamestown Settlement’s Godspeed, a re-creation of one of the three ships that brought America’s first permanent English colonists to Virginia in 1607, will highlight Jamestown’s 17th-century history as well as 400-year milestones being observed during Virginia’s 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution.
The festival includes a preview of ongoing Portside in Old Town programming including Portside History from the Office of Historic Alexandria, Portside Arts from the Torpedo Factory Art Center and the Mobile Art Lab, Portside Fitness from local fitness studios, and Portside Kids activities for families.
The weekend also includes two free special events happening inside the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which is located at the Alexandria City Marina. The Late Shift on Friday night will feature gallery talks, artist receptions, music, live performances, hands-on artmaking and three floors of open artists’ studios. Art Safari on Saturday afternoon welcomes kids and families to a festival of artist-led hands-on activities.
Friday, October 12
3 to 6 p.m. Tall ship Godspeed tours
5 to 7 p.m. Waterfront Beer Garden by Port City Brewing Company
5 to 7 p.m. Pop-up Pizzeria Paradiso
5 to 7 p.m. Dolci Gelati gelato cart
5 to 7 p.m. DJ Laura Lopez
7 to 10 p.m. The Late Shift: Folklore inside the Torpedo Factory Art Center
Saturday, October 13
12 to 5 p.m. Portside History activities presented by the Office of Historic Alexandria
12 to 4 p.m. Art Safari artist-led hands-on kids’ activities inside the Torpedo Factory Art Center
12 to 3 p.m. Portside Kids hands-on craft project presented by AR Workshop
1 to 6 p.m. Tall ship Godspeed tours
2 to 7 p.m. Waterfront Beer Garden by Port City Brewing Company
2 to 7 p.m. Pop-up Pizzeria Paradiso
2 to 7 p.m. Dolci Gelati gelato cart
2 to 7 p.m. Live music: Carly Harvey Band (Blues/Soul) 2 to 4 p.m.; Free Flowing Music Experience Rock/Blues) 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
7 to 7:45 p.m. LED light performance by Incandescent Entertainment presented by The Athenaeum
Sunday, October 14
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Portside Fitness class with Sand & Steel Fitness: Combo Strength Training/Yoga
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portside Fitness bike sale from Bike & Roll
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Portside History activities presented by the Office of Historic Alexandria
12 to 5 p.m. Tall ship Godspeed tours
12 to 4 p.m. Waterfront Beer Garden by Port City Brewing Company
12 to 4 p.m. Pop-up Pizzeria Paradiso
12 to 1 p.m. Portside Kids free kids’ pizza-making demo by Pizzeria Paradiso
12 to 4 p.m. Dolci Gelati gelato cart
12 to 4 p.m. Pop-up exotic car exhibit to preview next year’s Alexandria Festival of Speed and Style
12 to 4 p.m. Portside Arts activities presented by the Mobile Art Lab
Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, founded by her in 2010. Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, VA and has lived and worked in the Alexandria publishing community since 1987.