ALEXANDRIA, VA – This afternoon Old Town Business and the Old Town Boutique District released the details of co-sponsored safe and fun events to take place during the 2020 holiday season. You can support Alexandria’s many small businesses by participating in the events below.
Plaid Friday (Black Friday, Nov. 27). Shop Local. Shop Small. Stay Safe
Join Old Town boutiques the day after Thanksgiving and enjoy great discounts, merriment, and good cheer, all while shopping small and supporting local businesses, and to celebrate plaid vibes.
Plaid Friday encourages people to do their holiday shopping with locally owned and independent businesses. Plaid Friday is the relaxing and enjoyable alternative to the big box store Black Friday and is designed to promote both local and independently owned businesses during the holidays. In Old Town, the sales start at 6 am and continue all day. After you shop with our neighbors, stop by area restaurants and cafes for special deals. On this day, shoppers can receive a limited edition plaid mask, by local designer DMaran when you spend $100 or more at participating retailers (while supplies last).
Area stylist Ali Hellmuth from ALH Style and Sarah Phillips from The Scout Guide will serve as virtual “plaid spotters” in which the community or shoppers can wear their favorite tartan on Plaid Friday and post on Instagram using @otboutiques #plaidpatrol. Ali and Sarah will each select their favorite looks to win a $50 gift card of their choice to a local boutique. For more information on participating businesses, visit OldTownBusiness.org or OldTownBoutiqueDistrict.com.
Old Town Cookie Crawl
Nov. 21-22
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $30 registration fee
Select participating businesses. Various locations throughout Old Town Alexandria
Kick-off the holidays early during the second annual Old Town Cookie Crawl. This year will be a two-day event with a participation cap of 100 individuals per day to meet COVID protocols.
Receive a commemorative tin and stop by all participating stores on the crawl to receive a cookie at each location. Cookies are made by local bakeries such as Bittersweet Catering, Buzz Bakeshop, and Together We Bake and will be individually packaged and distributed at a safe distance.
Participating stores range from Bellacara and AR Workshop to The Old Town Shop, Mint Condition and The Shoe Hive. It’s fun for the whole family and a great way to explore Old Town’s walkable shopping district. Registration and a full listing of participating stores are located here.
Laphroaig Cocktail Campaign
Nov. 25-Dec. 18
Old Town restaurants will be offering special Laphroaig themed creative cocktails specials to shoppers to celebrate the holiday season. Visit the Old Town Business website for participating businesses.
Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday
Nov. 30 and Dec. 1
Old Town businesses encourage shoppers to shop local businesses online storefronts on Cyber Monday at local shops websites.
On Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, Old Town Business is partnering with five nonprofits to promote shopping and dining for a cause. Customers who shop and/or dine at participating businesses will donate a percentage of that donor’s purchase to their choice among the five charities. The five local charities for Giving Tuesday are Alexandria Teaching Consortium, Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, ALIVE, Neighborhood Health, and Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation.
Holiday Lamp Post Art Walk
Dec. 5- Jan. 8, 2021
Along King Street and select side streets
The arts are alive in Old Town this holiday season with the debut of its first-holiday art walk. Don’t forget the exceptional shopping and dining Old Town Alexandria has to offer. Old Town Business collaborated with 25 artists from The Art League to create holiday-themed lamp post art pieces along King Street and select side streets. A map of the artwork will be created so folks can stroll the art walk at their own leisure.
Old Town Boutique District Seasonal Activities
Elf Patrol Every Saturday (Nov. 28- Dec. 19)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Santa’s helpers will hit King Street wearing their masks and providing safe holiday cheer surprising lucky shoppers with prizes from Alexandria boutiques and restaurants.
ICYMI: ACT for Alexandria Awards $1.4 Million to Local Nonprofits
