Z-vents in May To Look Forward To!
From learning about the history of Alexandria's iconic buildings and museum to learning about gardening techniques, mark your calendars!
Alexandria, VA –
April 22 – June 21
Taste of Old Row North Various locations throughout Old Town North
Enjoy a two-month stroll through the neighborhood with this year’s reimagined Taste of Old Town North. Passport holders will be able to use their Passport to receive discounts at small businesses throughout Old Town North: The Arts and Cultural District, Parker-Gray and Braddock Road West. Passport sales will begin Sunday, March 21. Passports may only be used once at each participating business; if 75% of a Passport has been used by June 21, the Passport holder will be entered into a drawing to receive prizes. Passports may be purchased Online at oldtownnorth.org or at the Community Table at the Old Town North Thursday Farmer’s Market. Proceeds will support the work of the Old Town North Community Partnership and ALIVE-inc.org. $10
May 1 – May 29
Pillars to Pavers: Preservation in Alexandria
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden
614 Oronoco St.
Since the 1960s, the City of Alexandria has seen older buildings and spaces being restored, preserved, and reused in different ways. In honor of National Historic Preservation Month, explore the streets of Alexandria with stops to highlight how buildings have been preserved and adapted for future generations to enjoy. At two stops, Carlyle House and Lee-Fendall House, you will be able to enter spaces that are usually closed to the public. This tour includes walking over many city blocks, stairs, and access to confined spaces. Face masks and social distancing will be enforced and tours are limited to 8 people. Please dress appropriately for the terrain and weather. For more information, please call (703)548-1789 or email [email protected]. $25
May 6
The Timeless Genius of Chopin (Virtual)
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
The Complete Preludes, Selected Late and Other Works
Sage Chamber Music Society
The Sage Chamber Music Society presents The Timeless Genius of Chopin, a series of four virtual recitals of piano works by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), performed by Jiayan Sun. The concerts are live-streamed on Thursdays at 8 PM from Sweeney Concert Hall, Smith College. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-timeless-genius-of-chopin-tickets-138299366127?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse
May 13 – June 10
Carlyle House Architecture Tour
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax St.
Carlyle House is one of the finest examples of Georgian Architecture on the East Coast. Join us for an one hour tour of Carlyle House solely focused on the architecture and restoration of Carlyle House. This tour will be offered on a monthly basis. Reservations are required as space is limited. All COVID-procedures will be in place during this tour. $10 https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park/events/carlyle-house-architecture-tour-0 or call 703-549-2997 or email [email protected]
May 15
Office of Historic Alexandria Lecture Series: “A White Historian Reads Black History,” With Susan Strasser
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Historian Susan Strasser brings her early years as a civil rights activist and experience as an American history professor to her lecture series, “A White Historian Confronts American Slavery.” Strasser is an award-winning historian and a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians. She has been praised by The New Yorker for “retrieving what history discards: The taken-for-granted minutiae of everyday life.” This four-part series is sponsored by the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project. Free; registration required. https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b6ZqbphuTy62PcZY1QX18w
May 15
Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Servants at The Lee-Fendall House
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden
614 Oronoco St.
Explore the Lee-Fendall House from the perspectives of the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home as domestic servants, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of how they built and shaped the Lee-Fendall House over the course of its history. For your safety and for those around you, face masks are required. The tour is limited to 8 participants. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call or email to make a reservation (703) 548-1789 or [email protected].
May 16
Tell Me Your Name
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax St.
Join Carlyle House Historic Park staff for a tour focusing on the experiences of the enslaved community at Carlyle House and his plantations. The guided tour will explore the historical context of slavery in 18th century Alexandria and the importance of ongoing research efforts to connect with descendants. Reservations are required as space is limited. All COVID-procedures will be in place during this tour. Register at: https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park/events/tell-me-your-name-3 or call 703-549-2997 or email [email protected]
May 17
Health and Happiness Workshop (Virtual)
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
The pandemic environment, personal problems and work pressure take a toll on our body and mind. The Art of Living brings you this free holistic and integrated workshop called the Health and Happiness which provide unique tools and techniques which help combat stress accumulated in our daily, modern life.
Through breathing techniques and meditation taught in this workshop one feels light, energetic, and enthusiastic to take on life! Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/health-and-happiness-workshop-tickets-149486258423?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse
May 19
R. B. Bernstein Online Lecture: The Education of John Adams
7:00 pm 8:00 pm
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
During this live Online interview, hear R. B. Bernstein discuss his new book, which examines John Adams’ origins in colonial Massachusetts, his education, and his struggle to choose a career and define a place for himself in colonial society. You will have an opportunity to ask questions during our audience Q&A, and you’ll also receive an autographed book delivered to your home. This lecture is part of our annual Michelle Smith Lecture Series and is supported by an endowment established by a generous grant from Robert H. and Clarice Smith. (703) 780-2000 Members: $35; Non-Members: $50
May 22
Revolutionary War Symposium (Virtual): “Hindsight Is 2020”
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum highlights the complexity of early America, but these challenges and uncertainties were rooted in what transpired before and during the Revolutionary War. In preparation for the 250th anniversary of 1776, explore topics virtually with public historians during a one-day symposium, in partnership with Emerging Revolutionary War. Speakers include: Vanessa Smiley, author of American Revolutionary War from the Bottom Up and Southern Theater Misconceptions, Michael Harris, author of General John Sullivan and the Battle of Brandywine, Travis Shaw, author of Disaffected and Dangerous Persons: Loyalist Resistance in the Mid-Atlantic, Mark Maloy, author of Drunk Hessians and Other Myths of the Ten Crucial Days, and John Rees, author of “They Were Good Soldiers”: African Americans in the Continental Army. $40/$20 for OHA friends groups. Tickets available at www/alexandriava.gov/shop
May 23 – June
Legacy of The Green Cabinet Walking Tour
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax St.
In the early 19th Century, William Green started the Green Furniture factory in Alexandria and by 1823 his son, James, would take over. James expanded his father’s factory and established himself as a prominent Alexandrian through building and operating Green’s Mansion House Hotel. Join us on a tour to learn about James Green and his family’s life here in Alexandria. Reservations are required as space is limited. All COVID-procedures will be in place during this tour. Please wear comfortable shoes for this 1.5 hour guided tour. Tour is held rain or shine unless there is severe weather. https://www.novaparks.com/parks/carlyle-house-historic-park/events/legacy-of-the-green-family-cabinetmakers-walking-tour or call 703-549-2997 or email [email protected]
Master Gardener of Northern Virginia Presents:
Friday, May 7, 10:00 – 11:30 am, Online
Controlling Mosquitoes and Ticks in Your Yard Without Pesticides
Learn pesticide-free best management practices to control mosquitoes and ticks in your yard and keep them away from you and your family. Extension Master Gardener Joan McIntyre will explain how to identify mosquitoes and ticks prevalent in this area, their life cycle, how they reproduce, and where they go in the winter. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/events/ to receive link to participate.
Friday, May 14, 10:00 – 11:30 am, Online
Top Insect and Disease Management Strategies for Fruit Producing Trees
Got fruit? Want to add some shade with edible crops to your landscaping? This class will offer you best practices for recognizing and managing the top 12 disease and insect pests that are found on our most popular home fruit trees. Speaker Kirsten Conrad, Extension Agent for Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria, will explain how to grow a viable fruit crop without the use of pesticides or fungicides. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/events/ to receive link to participate.
Sunday, May 16, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Glencarlyn Library Community Garden, 300 South Kensington St., Arlington
Glencarlyn Library Garden Spring Celebration and Plant Sale
Come rain or shine to celebrate Spring in the Glencarlyn Library Garden! Native and locally propagated plants – including herbs, vegetables, annuals, and ornamentals – from Hill House Nursery and the Library Garden will be available for sale. Honey, compost tea, hand-made pots, and t-shirts, too! We’ll be giving away free tree saplings and Extension Master Gardeners will be on site to help answer your gardening and plant selection questions. All proceeds will support care of the Glencarlyn Library Garden. Please wear your Springiest face mask and help us practice safe social distancing during the event. Free. For more information call Alyssa Ford Morel at 703-907-9318, or Elaine Mills at 703-244-7309, or email [email protected].
Friday, May 21, 10:00 – 11:30 am, Online
Best Bets: Native Plants for Dry Conditions
Homeowners often wonder which plants will be best suited to the soil conditions in their landscapes. In this class, Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills will describe the factors that lead to dry conditions in a garden and the adaptations plants have made to do well in hot, exposed sites, tolerate rain shortages, or survive in dry shade. She will introduce native trees, shrubs, perennials, ground covers, grasses, and sedges that have been found to thrive in these conditions, explain the benefits they provide to wildlife, and offer tips for growing and maintaining them. Free. RSVP at https://mgnv.org/events/ to receive link to participate.
Saturday, May 22, 11:00 – 11:45 am, Arlington Home Show & Garden Expo Online
Home Turf Alternatives: Converting Your Lawn into a Garden!
Are you ready to think outside of that boxy carpet of lawn that dominates your yard? Join Extension Master Gardener Donald Bobby to explore alternatives to turf grass and learn manageable techniques to reduce the size of your traditional lawn. Free. To register for session, go to https://arlingtonhomeshow.org/.
Arlington Home and Garden Expo runs on Saturday and Sunday May 23 & 23, 10:00 am – 3 pm, Online. For a full list of offerings and programs, go to https://arlingtonhomeshow.org
