Summer in Del Ray
Pride Party, 80s/90s Party, Jaws Party, Kids Comedy, Pig Roast, Cinema Del Ray, Drag Brunch, Bike Sale, Workshops, Yoga, Wine, Music, and more.
Happy Friday, Neighbor!
This weekend marks the official start of summer! The summer solstice is today, Friday, June 20th, which means it's the longest day of the year and the perfect time to get out and enjoy all that Del Ray, Alexandria has to offer. From outdoor movies to live music and Pride celebrations, there's something for everyone.
While you’re out there, remember to hydrate because it is hot. I like this Stanley with a flip straw, so it’s more portable.
I’ve also seen some people fill their Stanleys with ice cream. I might try that and if I do, I’ll share pics. Please do the same.
Here’s what’s happening this weekend in Del Ray:
🌈 Drag Brunch
🎉 Pride Party & 80s/90s Party & Jaws Party
🐷 Pig Roast Lūʻau
😄 Kids Comedy Show
🎥 Cinema Del Ray
🚲 Warehouse Bike Sale
✨ Workshops
📚 Book Club
❤️ Inova Blood Drive
🧘♀️ Yoga
🍓 Del Ray Farmers’ Market
🎤 Karaoke
🧀 Free Wine & Cheese Tastings
🥂 Wine Class
🎶 Live Music
🥞 Mulbaby Brunch
📖 Kids Storytime and Craft
🏡 Featured open house
…bread of the summer recipe, explore cards, fun grill tool, fresh book recs, even more new events added to the master Events Calendar, and more.
Thank you for being here. Let’s dive in.
– Rachel Turula
Founder + Publisher, Things to do: Del Ray, VA
P.S. Scroll down for your last chance to enter this week’s giveaway from Stardust Vintage & Gift!
Friday, June 20
Funmakers, 10:15am-11am at the James M. Duncan Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.
Zig Zag’s Fun Factory delivers laugh-out-loud comedy magic with music, puppets, and interactive fun. A lively, kid-friendly show that’s equal parts silly and magical.Inova Blood Drive, 2pm-6pm at Pork Barrel BBQ, 2312 Mt Vernon Ave.
Jaws 50th Anniversary Party, 3pm-12am at Hops N Shine, 3410 Mount Vernon Ave. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the classic film Jaws at Hops N Shine. Enjoy themed drinks and a fun-filled night out to kick off the first day of summer.
Pig Roast Lūʻau, 5pm at Matt & Tony’s, 1501 Mt Vernon Ave.
Kick off summer island-style at Matt & Tony’s Pig Roast Lūʻau. Come hungry for Hawaiian-inspired bites and tiki cocktails—wear a tropical shirt and get a free drink!Finding the Finger Lakes: A Wine Tasting and a Class, 6pm–7pm at Planet Wine Shop, 2004 Mt Vernon Ave.
Discover the distinctive wines of New York's Finger Lakes region. Join Wine Director Erin Dudley for a tasting of six regional wines, paired with artisanal cheeses, and enjoy discounts on featured selections.Movies at Mulberry (7 to 11 year olds), 6pm-8:30pm at Mulberry Lane, 2016 Mt Vernon Ave.
AJ GHENT & His Singing Guitar, 7:30pm at The Birchmere Music Hall, 3701 Mt Vernon Ave.
Enjoy an evening of soulful music with AJ Ghent and his unique singing guitar. Get your tickets for a night of incredible and innovative musical talent.Karaoke, 8pm-11pm at Flipside Speakeasy, 2218 Mount Vernon Ave.
Bring your besties to Flipside Speakeasy (above DRP) on Fridays for a fun night of karaoke. Sing your heart out and kick off the weekend right.
Giveaway time
Vintage lovers, there’s a new shop on The Avenue — Stardust Vintage & Gift is officially open!
To celebrate the grand opening, @thingstododelrayva and @stardustalx are giving away a $50 gift card for you to shop for vintage finds, on us!
Swing by to check out the official store of the Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market. There’s something for everyone with vintage, retro, kitsch, & gifts. (And keep an eye out for upcoming classes, pop-ups, and events, too.)
To enter, just refer a friend to Things to do Del Ray using the button below. (It includes your personal referral code)!
Last chance to enter! Every referral = an entry. We’ll pick the winner at random and announce them this Monday, June 23. Good luck!
Saturday, June 21
Del Ray Farmers’ Market, 8am-noon at Pat Miller Square, 2311 Mt Vernon Ave.
Start your day at the Del Ray Farmers' Market with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared foods like chai, breakfast sandwiches, jams, and dumplings. Offerings may vary weekly—open year-round.Warehouse Bicycle Sale, 9am-1pm at Vélocity Bicycle Cooperative, 1502 Mt Vernon Ave.
Find hybrids, vintage bikes, kids bikes, parts, and more at this as-is bike sale. The sale is behind 1502 Mount Vernon Ave—look for the Vélocity flag.Pirate Ships and Mermaids Workshop (All Ages; Register by 6/18), 10am-12pm at Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mt Vernon Ave.
Create a whimsical seascape with cardboard, paper, and crayons in this family-friendly art class—open to all ages and experience levels. Bonus: a real mermaid will stop by while you draw one!Historic Preservation Workshop, 10am-1pm at the at Mt. Vernon Community School auditorium, 2601 Commonwealth Ave.
This community workshop will explore ways to further protect the Town of Potomac Historic District. Hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, the session will also consider the possibility of creating a larger historic district for Del Ray.VETOGA Yoga, 10:30am-11:30am at the James M. Duncan Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.
Stretch, breathe, and cultivate your connections with body, heart, and mind. Join this Level 1 Hatha-Raja yoga session hosted by VETOGA.Kids Storytime and Craft, 10:30am-11:30am at The Company of Books, 2200 Mt Vernon Ave.
Join local author Ganeya Gajaram for storytime. You’ll read a book or two for the first half hour, and then have a related craft afterward.Free Wine & Cheese Tasting, 11am-1pm at Cheesetique, 2411 Mt Vernon Ave.
Savor a delightful tasting experience at Cheesetique with curated wines and gourmet cheeses. It's a great way to discover new flavors in Del Ray. Every Saturday.MaKayla’s Birthday Drag Brunch, 11:30am at Del Ray Pizzeria, 2218 Mt Vernon Ave.
Celebrate Pride and MaKayla Starr’s birthday in one fabulous drag brunch. With bold performances, birthday vibes, and a brunch menu to match, it’s a double dose of loud, proud, and unfiltered fun.Silent Book Club, 1pm-3pm at The Company of Books, 2200 Mt Vernon Ave.
Enjoy some quiet reading time with fellow book lovers—no assigned books, no pressure, just good reads and good company.Cheerliters! Free Wine Tasting, 1pm-5pm at Planet Wine Shop, 2004 Mt Vernon Ave.
Raise a glass to big bottles and bold sips with Austrian thirst-quenchers and cheery Spanish wines that bring the energy. Enjoy a 10% discount on tasting wines to take home.Movies at Mulberry (7 to 11 year olds), 6pm-8:30pm at Mulberry Lane, 2016 Mt Vernon Ave.
OHIO PLAYERS, 7:30pm at The Birchmere Music Hall, 3701 Mt Vernon Ave.
Get ready to groove to the classic funk and soul sounds of the Ohio Players. A legendary band that is sure to have you dancing all night long.Cinema Del Ray, 8pm outside at the Mount Vernon Rec Center fields, 2701 Commonwealth Ave.
Grab a blanket and join The Jen Walker Team for a free outdoor screening of Despicable Me 4. Enjoy a fun night under the stars with family, friends, and snacks for sale.Pride Night Party, 8pm-2am at Hops N Shine, 3410 Mt Vernon Ave.
Celebrate Pride with a night of karaoke, rainbow Jell-O shots, and nonstop good vibes at Hops N Shine. Free entry, music, and a whole lot of love—bring your crew and let the pride party roll.80s/90s Dance Party, 8:30pm-11:30pm at Piece Out Del Ray, 2419 Mt Vernon Ave.
Dance it out at this ’80s and ’90s party hosted by DJ Thunderbunny at Piece Out. Expect a night full of retro hits, disco vibes, and plenty of crowd energy—requests welcome.
Del Ray Explore Card
The 2025 Del Ray Explore Card is a fun way to discover and save at top spots in Del Ray, Alexandria — while supporting local. If you haven’t already, grab your card here. Happy exploring!
Sunday, June 22
Mulbaby Brunch, 10am-12pm at Mulberry Lane, 2016 Mt Vernon Ave.
Drop the kids off and enjoy a peaceful meal next door at Evening Star or HiFi TexMex BBQ. A fun, supervised play session for them—relaxing brunch time for you.Sunday Baby Time, 3:30pm-4pm at the James M. Duncan Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.
Wiggle, crawl, and clap along at Baby Time, a fun-filled session with fingerplay and songs for little ones. Perfect for ages 0-14 months.TCB Volunteer Appreciation Party, 4:30pm-6pm at The Company of Books, 2200 Mt Vernon Ave.
Volunteers have played a big role in helping TCB grow. Reach out to learn more about this event or to get involved as a volunteer.Make a Maritime Mobile Workshop (Register by 6/19), 6pm-9pm at Del Ray Artisans, 2704 Mt Vernon Ave.
Design and decorate ocean-inspired wooden shapes, then learn to assemble them into a balanced kinetic mobile. All supplies included—no experience necessary.STACEY KENT, 7:30pm at The Birchmere Music Hall, 3701 Mt Vernon Ave.
Enjoy a captivating performance by the talented jazz vocalist Stacey Kent. A perfect way to wind down your weekend with some beautiful music.
This weekend’s featured open house
411 E Bellefonte Ave. 4 BR, 3 Bath. 1,965 sq. ft. $1,399,000. OH: Sun—2pm-4pm.
Have a listing to feature? Email me.
Upcoming events
Rosé Fest, kids’ pizza making classes, creative workshops, and more in the coming weeks and months. All the details are on the Ultimate Del Ray Events Calendar.
Some extra magic
The bread of the summer: Zucchini bread. Pick up zucchini at the Farmers’ Market this weekend and enjoy this delicious bake. Here’s a recipe that you can customize to be dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, egg-free — or not. (If you need a grater, I recommend a box grater so you can also use it for zesting citrus, shredding cheese, and more, in addition to shredding zucchini.)
Reading: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, a thriller/mystery New York Times bestseller. I am having a hard time getting into it, but will power through. Also just got Isola by Allegra Goodman off the waitlist.
Book Club: Last week, I asked if you’d be interested in a Things to do Del Ray Book Club, and 100% of voters said yes! Let’s get our reading on. More to come.
I’m still working on my garden. If you are too, add color to your backyard with these moveable grow bags. Great for small spaces or patios.
I recently ordered a portable tripod for my phone. Partly for content, but it also comes in very handy for taking family photos. I used it on Father’s Day last weekend to take a group photo and it was totally worth it.
Nail kit of the summer
Grill tool of the summer.
Pool of the summer.
Kids game of the summer (could be for adults too…)
Weather
Friday
87 🌡️ 68 | 🌤️ | 4% | 💨 WNW 8 mph
Saturday
92 🌡️ 73 | 🌤️ | 5% | 💨 SW 8 mph
Sunday
97 🌡️ 78 | 🌤️ | 3% | 💨 WSW 7 mph
Temperature readings taken from Alexandria, VA on weather.com the night before publication.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!
Thank you for being part of the Things to do Del Ray community! If you enjoyed this roundup, share it with a neighbor who likes to grill!
See you around the neighborhood,
P.S. If you or someone you know is looking to promote their business or organization, I have a few sponsorship opportunities coming up. Email me hello@rachelturula.com if you are interested.
We try to only include accurate information, but sometimes things can change. Everything included in the newsletter is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time the newsletter is sent out.
Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we love and think you will, too!