The Old Town Farmers' Market met at Market Square every Saturday, without a break, from 1753 until this year. Alexandria's Holiday Tree Lighting was held there too. In 2025 the tree went up in front of City Hall as it always had. This season the square is behind a construction fence, and Old Town's holiday calendar has moved about five blocks east to the edge of the Potomac.
This year, each of the season's big evening gatherings in Old Town takes place at Waterfront Park, 1 Prince St. Getting there means walking the length of lower King Street, and the blocks along that walk have been the quietest part of Old Town since the fence went up.
Why the tree is going to the river
Market Square and City Hall are closed for a $165 million renovation. The Alexandria Times reported in October that the work was still aiming for fall 2028, even after the discovery of asbestos caused a 10-week delay. The Market Square Garage is closed for the whole project.
The Zebra reports that the city's Nov. 4 construction update confirmed several holiday events are moving while work is underway. The tree lighting is the first of them. It runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Waterfront Park, with music and a visit from Santa. It's free and open to all ages. The city's own calendar lists it as a "New 2026 location."
The farmers market moved first, and only across the street. It now fills the 100 block of North Royal Street and the courtyard at Tavern Square. More than 70 vendors are there every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, year-round, rain or shine. According to the City's market page, it will stay there for the two to three years the renovation takes, then go back to its old home.
Waterfront Park now hosts the season's biggest nights
With the square closed, the park at the foot of Prince Street has become the place for Old Town's big holiday evenings. BARCA's seasonal pop-up sits on the pier right next to it.
| Date | What happens on the waterfront | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Holiday Tree Lighting at Waterfront Park | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Wed., Nov. 25 | BARCA Wonderland opens on BARCA Pier | Seasonal run |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holiday Boat Parade of Lights, with dockside festivities at Waterfront Park | Festivities 2 to 8 p.m.; parade at 5:30 p.m. |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | New Year's Eve fireworks at Waterfront Park | 8 p.m. and midnight |
BARCA Wonderland is back for another year. Alexandria Brief describes a heated pier decorated for the holidays, with themed cocktails, fondue, pintxos and desserts. It opens the day before Thanksgiving, which makes it an easy stop after the tree lighting the weekend before.
New Year's Eve ends the year in the same place. The City's holiday page lists two shows over the river, an early one at 8 p.m. and a second at midnight.
Dec. 5 runs from the market to the boat parade
The first Saturday in December is the longest day on the Old Town holiday calendar. It also has a new organizer. The City of Alexandria says it is hosting the Scottish Walk Holiday Parade and the Boat Parade starting in 2026. Visit Alexandria became the Scottish Walk's lead producer in 2022, in partnership with the Campagna Center and the City. This year the City took over that role, with support from the Campagna Center and Visit Alexandria.
The parade dates back more than 50 years. It began as a community event celebrating the city's Scottish heritage and raising support for the Campagna Center, then called the Community Y. Visit Alexandria notes that Scottish merchants founded Alexandria in 1749 and that the city is named for a Scotsman, John Alexander. The parade brings clans in tartan, pipe and drum bands, terriers and hounds, and community groups through Old Town.
On foot, the day goes like this:
- 7 a.m. to noon: Old Town Farmers' Market on the 100 block of N. Royal St. and the Tavern Square courtyard.
- 10:30 a.m.: The 55th Annual Alexandria Scottish Walk Holiday Parade, sponsored by Wegmans, steps off in Old Town.
- 2 to 8 p.m.: Dockside festivities at Waterfront Park, 1 Prince St.
- 5:30 p.m.: The 26th Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights begins on the Old Town waterfront.
The City's Holiday Parades page is where route, viewing and boat details for both parades will be posted. It's the page to check the week of the event.
Parking takes more planning than it used to. The Market Square Garage is closed. Market shoppers can park free at Tavern Square Garage, 418 Cameron St., and Courthouse Square Garage, 111 S. Pitt St., from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. That covers the market and the parade, but not the evening on the water. The City's Old Town parking page recommends the free DASH bus and the free King Street Trolley. For the tree lighting, The Zebra suggests taking Metrorail to King Street–Old Town and catching the trolley toward the waterfront. Tour buses now load and unload in the 400 block of King Street. That block will be busier than usual on parade days.
The blocks around the fence could use your walk
When the celebrations moved to the river, the blocks right around City Hall lost the daily traffic the square used to bring them. The Zebra reported in September that the renovation closed the garage, displaced nearby parking, changed walking routes and removed the steady stream of City Hall employees and visitors.
The Warehouse, at 214 King St., has been an Old Town fixture for more than three decades. It's a steak, seafood, Creole and Cajun spot that locals have long picked for family celebrations and meals with out-of-town guests. In that same Zebra story, its owner said the loss of parking and City Hall activity had sharply cut walk-in traffic. A few blocks up, Today's Cargo at 117 N. Fairfax St. sits directly across from the construction zone. The jewelry and gift shop began at a Market Square flea-market table in 1973. After several moves, it returned to 117 N. Fairfax in 2024, almost back where it started. Owner Carla Clarke has asked the City for clearer signage and more promotion for the businesses around the project.
The City is working on it. ALXnow reported that a City task force recommended looking into garage partnerships and parking subsidies, promoting nearby businesses and parking, and giving advance notice of City events. Staff plan to review the approach in January. The Alexandria Times added that the City was considering "shops are open" messaging on DASH buses.
The route to the water also passes Old Town's newest arrivals. Twosome Place, a South Korean café chain, opened its first U.S. location at 404 King St. in October. The Zebra notes a menu of specialty cakes, Korean-inspired drinks and savory dishes. Two more are expected in December. King Arthur Baking Company is planning a permanent store and baking school at 617 King St., according to Alexandria Brief. Cana Café is aiming to open in the former Starbucks at 100 S. Union St., ALXnow reports, with timing that depends on construction.
One way to plan the tree lighting: start with gifts on Fairfax Street in the late afternoon, eat early on King Street, then walk downhill to Waterfront Park in time for the 6 p.m. start.
Del Ray and Carlyle schedule around Old Town's big Saturday
Old Town takes the first Saturday in December, and the rest of the city's December fills in around it. Del Ray's Holiday Season Kick-Off is the next evening, Sunday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m. at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square. It includes a Christmas tree and menorah lighting and a luminaria-lit walk along Mount Vernon Avenue. The 5th Annual 4MR Holiday Makers' Market runs earlier that day, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 4109 Mount Vernon Ave., with more than 50 vendors.
- Dec. 4–20: Del Ray Artisans' 31st Annual Fine Art & Fine Craft Holiday Market at 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Hours are Fridays 6 to 9 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with different artists each weekend.
- Thu., Dec. 10: The Shops of Del Ray Holiday Sip & Shop, 6 to 9 p.m., with extended shop hours.
- Sat., Dec. 12: The 11th Annual Del Ray Candy Cane Bar Crawl, 12:30 to 6 p.m.
- Sat., Dec. 12: The Christmas Market & Holiday Craft Show at John Carlyle Square, 300 John Carlyle St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with artisan goods, carolers, a children's craft station and photos with Santa.
In the West End, Barnes & Noble announced a new 13,000-square-foot store at Foxchase, 4515 Duke St., with a Nov. 4 opening, and the store now posts regular hours and a slate of November events.
Back in Old Town, the renovation's target finish is fall 2028, and the farmers market stays on North Royal Street until then.
If construction on your own block has you wondering how a project like this affects what your home is worth, Ruth and the team at RGA Realty Group are glad to talk it through with no pressure. Ask for a free home valuation whenever you're ready.
