E-mail announcements to the Gazette, gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Photos and artwork are encouraged. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week's paper. Call Steve Hibbard at 703-778-9412 with questions.
<cal1>Now through Oct. 31
<cal2>16th Annual Pumpkin Sale. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. At Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria (Corner of Seminary Road and Quaker Lane). All proceeds go directly to charity (ALIVE, Carpenter's Shelter, Network Preschool, New Mexico Navajo Indians and many more). Contact Susan D. Dawson at 703-931-4349 or SDDawson@comcast.net.
<cal1>Thursday/Oct. 15
<cal2>Jim Stephanson and John Previti. 7-9 p.m. Free. Guitarist Jim Stephanson and bassist John Previti will treat visitors to an evening of blues, swing and jazz inspired tunes. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, part of the Thursday Nite Local Spotlight series. At 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565 or go to www.torpedofactory.org.
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 16
<cal2>Music for String Quartet. 8 p.m. Free. Presented by the U.S. Air Force Band Chamber Players Series. At the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria. Call 202-767-5658 or visit www.usafband.af.mil.
<cal1>Oct. 16-Dec. 11
<cal2>Spring Forest Qigong Practice Sessions. 10-11:30 a.m. Cost is $10/session. Qigong is the study of energy utilizing mental concentration, breath, and body movement. At the Institute for the Advancement of Service, 111 South Columbus St., Alexandria Call 703-706-5333.
<cal1>Oct. 16-31
<cal2>"Inherit the Wind" — a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial in Tennessee. Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. At Aldersgate United Methodist Church – Wesley Hall, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandria. Go to www.acctonline.org or 703-660-2611.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 17
<cal2>Hollin Hall Senior Center Bazaar. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 30 crafters, huge silent auction with services and new merchandise, a bake sale, door prizes and lunch. At Hollin Hall Senior Center, 1500 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria. Call 703-765-4573.
Breakfast Reach Out Meeting. 9:15 a.m. Sponsored by Arlington Aglow with speaker Alice Holland. Breakfast provided for $3.25 donation. At St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 3439 Payne Street, Bailey's Crossroads. For reservations, call Betty Rose Forsell at 703-671-9264.
History and Tea. 2 to 3:30 p.m. $20/person. Learn about history and the many uses of tea. At the Historic House at Green Spring Gardens. At 4603 Green Spring Road in Alexandria. Call 703-941-7987.
Family Fall Festival. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entertainment features the Beale Street Puppet Theatre, magic show and karate demonstrations. Activities and exhibits feature the Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center, face painting, pumpkin painting, Robbie the Recycling Squirrel, the Alexandria Fire Dept., an art activity, booth hay rides, among others. At Armistead Booth Park, 520 Cameron Station Blvd. Call the Events Hotline at 703-883-4686 or the Special Events Office at 703-746-5418.
St. Aidan's Octoberfest and Silent Auction. 3-7 p.m. German Food and Music. Kinderfest from 3-5 p.m. Games, Pumpkin Patch, Face Painting. Fun for everyone. At St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, 8531 Riverside Rd., Alexandria. www.staidansepiscopal.org.
Fall Festival. 3-6 p.m. Free. Enjoy Kids Games & Crafts, German Food, Bake Sale, Book Sale, also seasonal flu shots and blood pressure checks. At Nativity Lutheran Church, 1300 Collingwood Road, Alexandria. Call Lynne Rizzo at 703-678-9324
UpBeat OffBeat Auction. 7-10 p.m. Del Ray Artisans' classic whacky artful fund-raiser, featuring a live auction of home furnishings "extremely made over" by local artists. At the Durant Center, 1605 Cameron Street, Alexandria. Details and tickets ($15 in advance / $20 at the door) at www.theDelRayArtisans.org.
Wine Party. 7-10 p.m. "La Fête de Lafayette" wine party in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, the hero of the American Revolution. After-five attire is requested, and reservations are required. Tickets are $50 a piece for Gadsby’s Tavern Museum Society members and $65 each for non-members. At Gadsbys Tavern Museum, 134 North Royal Street, Alexandria. Tickets may be purchased online at www.gadsbystavern.org or by calling 703-838-4242.
Outdoor Craft Fair. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors will feature handcrafted items, including jewelry, fabric arts, knitting, oil & watercolor paintings and more. At the Lee-Fendall House Museum, 514 Oronco St., Alexandria.
Concert. 7:30 p.m. A concert of oboe, English horn and pipe organ. Presented by St. Luke's Friends of Music. $20/adults, $10/seniors and students. At St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 8009 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria. Contact St. Luke’s Church at www.saintlukeschurch.net/ or phone 703-765-4342.
<cal1>Oct. 17-18
<cal2>Mount Vernon's Fall Harvest Family Days. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entire family will enjoy autumn activities including horse-drawn wagon rides, wheat treading in the 16-sided barn, a straw bale maze, early-American games, music and demonstrations. $15 adults; $14 seniors; $7 children 6-11; free for children under 5. At George Washington's Farm, Mount Vernon. Go to Visit.MountVernon.org for more information.
<cal1>Sunday/Oct. 18
<cal2>Anna Mwalagho and the Afro Floetry Band. 4 p.m. $15 donation. At Jazz at Meade Memorial Episcopal Church, 322 N. Alfred Street, Alexandria. Call 703-549-1334 or visit http://meadechurch.org.
"Metro Cabaret: A Musical Revue." 3 p.m. Free-will offering. With Stephanie Bonte-Lebair, Rachael Goldman, David McMullin and Mimi Youkles, piano. At Trinity United Methodist Church, 2911 Cameron Mill Road, Alexandria. Call 703-549-5500, ext.103 or visit www.trinityalexandria.org
Historic Huntley Open House. 2-4 p.m. Visit this Federal-style unrestored villa built in 1825 for Thomas Francis Mason, a grandson of George Mason. Kids of all ages will enjoy the puppet show featuring Thomson Francis Mason, as well as guided tours, a scavenger hunt, and light refreshments. At 6918 Harrison Lane, Alexandria.
Concert. 7 p.m. Miche Fambro, and Brad Yoder with Jason Rafalak. $18 general, $15 members or in advance. Contact: Kay at kay@focusmusic.org, 703-501-6061, or log onto FocusMusic.org. At Church of the Resurrection, 2280 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria.
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. 3 p.m. Free admission. With Music Director Ulysses S. James. At Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Road, Alexandria. Call 703-799-8229 or visit www.wmpamusic.org.
Bach Vespers. 6 p.m. Organ music by J. S. Bach, woven into a vesper liturgy in the tradition of ancient worship with Paul Stetsenko, organist. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2701 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria.
Zino Bogachek and Friends. 3 p.m. $20 suggested donation. Zino Bogachek, violinist with Washington National Opera, is joined by musicians from the Orchestra for an afternoon of classical chamber music. At The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St, Alexandria. Call 301-229-2615 or visit www.thewashingtongroup.org.
<cal1>Tuesday/Oct. 20
<cal2>Writer David A. Taylor. 7:30 p.m. Free. Author of "Soul of a People," hosted by Friends of the Duncan Library. 2501 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4566 or visit www.alexandria.lib.va.us.
<cal1>Wednesday/Oct. 21
<cal2>West Potomac Orchestra Fall Concert. 7 p.m. Free. Under direction of Mary Lindsay Wilkerson, it will perform Selected Chorales by J.S. Bach and English Folk Song Suite for String Orchestra by Charles B. Jones. Additionally pieces to be played by the Philharmonic Orchestra are Two Canzonas for String Orchestra by Girolamo Frescobaldi and Adagio and Fugue for String Orchestra by W.A. Mozart. At Springbank Auditorium at West Potomac High School.
<cal1>Thursday/Oct. 22
<cal2>Fall Marketplace. 9 a.m. to noon. Shop, chat, coffee, bake sale. Sponsored by Plymouth Haven MOPS. At Plymouth Haven Baptist Church, corner of Fort Hunt Road and Plymouth Road. Questions? plymouthhavenmops@hotmail.com or JJ Hogan, marketplace coordinator @ seahorsedesigns@cox.net.
Big Lebowski Bash. 9 p.m. $12 donation. Costume party and screening of the Coen Brothers' movie, "The Big Lebowski," benefitting Community Family Life Services. At the Old Town Theater, 815 King Street, Alexandria. Call 703-684-6000.
Lynn Hollyfield and Grace Griffith. 7-9 p.m. Free. Lynn Hollyfield and Grace Griffith perform traditional and contemporary folk music. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, part of the Thursday Nite Local Spotlight series. At 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565 or go to www.torpedofactory.org.
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 23
<cal2>Music for Tuba. 8 p.m. Presented by the U.S. Air Force Band Chamber Players Series. At George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria. Call 202-767-5658 or visit www.usafband.af.mil.
Swing for Pink, a Breast Cancer Fund-raiser. 6:30 p.m. $25/registration. Activities include round robin tennis, play the pro, tennis games and prizes. There will be special fitness classes which include Spinning, Zumba, Kettlebells, & Court Soccer. All proceeds will benefit breast cancer prevention, education, screening, and treatment. At Mount Vernon Athletic Club, 7950 Audubon Ave., Alexandria. Visit www.mtvac.net or call 703-360-7300.
Taste for Giving. 7-10 p.m. $75 tickets. Fourteen of Alexandria's best and most community-minded restaurants will be giving a taste of their dishes, including Jackson 20, Tempo, Finn & Porter, Cafe Pizzaiolo, Union Street Pub, Hard Times, Bittersweet, Del Ray's Del Merie Grill and Pork Barrel BBQ, Geranio Ristorante, The Jamieson Grill, Overwood and Columbia Firehouse. Prince Michel Winery, Guiffre Distributors and Misha's Coffee House will supply the liquid refreshments. Silent and live auctions will also be held, with a catered Pig Roast as the highlight. At the Torpedo Factory in Old Town. Order online at www.alexandriarotary.org or by calling 703-535-1200.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 24
<cal2>EcoVoce Ensemble. 3:50 p.m. Free. A concert to benefit 350.org's International Day of Climate Action. With special guest Andrew Wingfield, and soprano Denise Freeland. At the Old Presbyterian Meeting House, 321 S. Fairfax Street, Alexandria. Call 703-549-6670 or visit www.opmh.org.
Pancake Breakfast/Silent Auction. 8:30-11 a.m. $6/adults, $3/children. Proceeds benefit Advent's capital campaign to build a new administration/education wing. At Advent Lutheran Church, 2222 S. Arlington Ridge Road. Contact Nancy Jairrels at 703-521-7010 or adventlc@hotmail.com.
Opera Night. 7:30 p.m. Classic opera and Broadway selections performed by members of the Washington National Opera Company. At Bishop O'Connell High School. $20/adults, $10/students and seniors. Visit www.bishopoconnell.org/operanight or call 703-237-1462.
Carmina Burana. 7 p.m. Presented by Choralis with orchestra and soloists. At Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College. Tickets $40, $25, $5/students. Go to www.choralis.org or 703-237-2499.
Heritage Trail Civil War Bike Ride. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. Explore Alexandria’s Civil War history with Alexandria Archaeology! Meet at the Bike and Roll Alexandria shop for a 14.5-mile guided bike tour of Alexandria’s Defenses of Washington. Reservations required. At Bike and Roll Shop, One Wales Alley. Call 703-838-4399 or e-mail ruth.reeder@alexandriava.gov.
Country Market Fair. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Huge rides, BBQ from Del Merei Grille, live band music, loads of games and arts and crafts. At the Alexandria Country Day School, 2400 Russell Road, Alexandria. Call 703-548-4804 or visit www.acdsnet.org.
Artists Exhibit and Sale. Noon to 5 p.m. Kingstowne Area Artists Association will exhibit and sell its work — acrylics, oils, watercolor, mixed media, pastels, photography, pen and ink, digital media — at the Snyder Center, 6450 South Van Dorn Street, Kingstowne. Free. Go to www.kingstowne.org or contact Ginny Sywyj at duchessducky@msn.com or Nancy Hannans at nhannans@cox.net.
Christmas Bazaar. Good Shepherd Catholic Church’s Christmas Bazaar will be held on Saturday, Oct 24. If you or anyone you know is interested in participating, contact Sharon Gurke at wavoff@yahoo.com or call 703-780-5673 for an application/contract. Apply online at http://www.CraftLister.com/GoodShepherdChurchChristmasBazaar. GSCC is located at 8710 Mount Vernon Highway Alexandria.
Candlelight Ghost Tours. 8-10 p.m. Visitors will view the museum by candlelight while hearing the ghost stories and creepy history of the Lee-Fendall House. Admission: $7/adults, $5/children ages 5-12. At the Lee-Fendall House Museum, 614 Oronco St., Alexandria.
Fall Into a Cure. 7 p.m. Cost is $85/person. Food, drinks and silent auction. At Belle Haven Country Club, Alexandria. Sponsored by the DC/Baltimore Chapter of the UMDF.
Walk to Fight Breast Cancer. 8 a.m. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. Meets at Eisenhower Avenue, 206 Swamp Fox Road, AMC Theater Parking Lot, off Eisenhower Avenue. Sponsored by the INOVA Foundation, Office on Women. Register online at www.alexcancerwalk.com. Call 703-838-5030 or email angela.johnson@alexandriava.gov
Re-enactment of John Carlyle's Funeral. 7-9 p.m. At the John Carlye House, 121 N. Fairfax St. to the Presbyterian Church, 321 S. Fairfax St. Sponsor: Alexandria’s Footsteps to the Past. Call Jim Bartlinski at 703-549-2997.
Paws in the Park. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dogs, kids and the folks who love them are invited to gather for DOGA, Pumpkin Painting, a Blessing of the Animals, K-9 Games, Musical Sit, a fur-filled Costume Parade for two and four legged contestants and more! At Montgomery Park, 901 N. Royal St., Alexandria. Sponsored by Old Town North Community Partnership. Call Elizabeth Frommer at 703-835-8066 or email efrommer@mreproperties.com.
Rummage Sale. 8-12 a.m. Tauxemont Cooperative Preschool, 7719 Fort Hunt Rd, Alexandria, VA 22308. Toys, clothes, bikes, electronics, household items, more. All proceeds benefit the school. http://www.tauxemont.org/
<cal1>Sunday/Oct. 25
<cal2>The Capitol Steps — Live. 4 p.m. At West Potomac High School Springbank Auditorium. Hosted by the West Potomac Crew Team. Tickets are $25/advance, $30/door. Purchase tickets online at www.wpcrew.org or by calling 703-768-0165.
13th Annual Delray Halloween Parade. 4 p.m. At the Mt. Vernon Ball Field, 2701 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria. Sponsored by the Delray Business Association. Call Gayle Reuter at 703-684-3535 or email gayle.reuter@mail.house.gov.
World Wine Tasting Tour. 6-8 p.m. To benefit Seniors Services of Alexandria. At The Anthenaem, 201 Prince Street in Old Town. Go to www.seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 10
Capitol Steps Live. 4 p.m. The West Potomac High School Crew Team is hosting the Capitol Steps. Tickets are $25/advance, $30/door. For tickets, go to www.wpcrew.org or call 703-768-1065. Free parking. Refreshments available. All proceeds benefit the West Potomac High School Crew Team.
Beethoven with the ASO and APAA. 4 p.m. Free. Featuring a chamber music arrangement of his Piano Concerto No. 4. Pianist Yuliya Gorenman, on faculty at American University and currently engaged in a complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle, will be soloist along with the following members of the ASO: Claudia Chudacoff and Allison Bailey, violin; Greg Ruppert, viola; Sean Neidlinger, cello; Bob Kurz, bass. At the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-0885 or visit www.alexsym.org.
U.S. Army Concert Band. 3 p.m. With special guest conductor Colonel Akira Takeda, Commander and Conductor of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force Central Band. At the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, NVCC, Alexandria.
<cal1>Tuesay/Oct. 27
<cal2>NOVA Community Chorus. 7:30 p.m. Presents Johannes Brahms, a German Requiem. $10 admission. At the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall, NVCC, 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria. Call 703-845-6097 mwhitmire@nvcc.edu.
<cal1>Wednesday/Oct. 28
<cal2>Eat lunch or dinner to benefit the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee at Fontaine Caffe & Creperie, 119 S. Royal St, 11:30-2:30 p.m., and 5-9 p.m. 10 percent of sales, and all proceeds from a silent auction, will help to support exchanges with Caen, France — Alexandria’s Sister City since 1982.
Concert Band and Singing Sergeants. 7 p.m. Free. At Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Road, Alexandria. Call 202-767-5658 or visit www.usafband.af.mil
<ca1>Thursday, Oct. 29
<cal2>Jim Stephanson and John Previti. 7-9 p.m. Free. Guitarist Jim Stephanson and bassist John Previti will treat visitors to an evening of blues, swing and jazz inspired tunes. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, part of the Thursday Nite Local Spotlight series. At 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565 or go to www.torpedofactory.org.
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 30
<cal2>Tom Goss Performs with Michael Yugo. 9 p.m. At Firelies Del Ray, 1501 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Call 703-548-7200. Go to www.tomgossmusic.com.
Candlelight Ghost Tours. 8-10 p.m. Visitors will view the museum by candlelight while hearing the ghost stories and creepy history of the Lee-Fendall House. Admission: $7/adults, $5/children ages 5-12. At the Lee-Fendall House Museum, 614 Oronco St., Alexandria.
Music for String Quartet. 8 p.m. Free. Presented by the U.S. Air Force Band Chamber Players Series. At the George Washingnton Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria. Call 202-767-5658 or visit www.usafband.af.mil.
<cal1>Oct. 30-31
<cal2>Woodlawn's Haunted History Tours. 6-8:40 p.m. $15/person. At 9000 Richmond Highway, Alexandria. Intersection of Richmond Highway and Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. Call 703-780-4000 ext. 26327 to reserve your space and for more information.
Edgar Allen Poe. 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Actor David Keltz returns to The Lyceum's lecture hall to recreate Edgar Allan Poe's visit to Virginia in 1849, shortly before he died. He performs "The Black Cat," "The Cask of Amontillado," or "The Tell-Tale Heart," along with well-known poems "The Raven" and "El Dorado." At The Lyceum, 201 South Washington Street, Old Town Alexandria.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 31
<cal2>Halloween Monster Organ Concert. 4 p.m. Features organists Victoria Shields, Douglas Back, Carol Schaub, Irvin Peterson and Julie Vidrick-Evans. Wear your costume, bring the kids and come hear scary organ music to get in the ghouling mood! At Washington Street United Methodist Church, 115 S. Washington St. Old Town Alexandria. Go to www.wsumc.com.
<cal1>Sunday/Nov. 1
<cal2>"Classic Broadway." 4 p.m. Tickets are $25/adults, $20 seniors, $5/students and children. Presented by the New Dominion Chorale. In addition to lush arrangements from "Kiss Me Kate," "Desert Song," and "Showboat," the program includes medleys from "Phantom of the Opera" and the music of Gershwin performed by piano artist Tom Pandolfi. With Sara Dell'Omo, mezzo-soprano and Bob McDonald, baritone. At the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall on the Alexandria campus of NVCC, 3001 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria. Go to www.newdominion.org. Call 703-442-9404.
<cal1>Tuesday/Nov. 3
<cal2>Concert. 8 p.m. Susanna Phillips, soprano, with Craig Terry, piano. The recital at Bishop Ireton is sponsored by Christ Church Alexandria to benefit the music program at local area schools. At Bishop Ireton Auditorium, 201 Cambridge Road, Alexandria. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased by contacting Christ Church at 703-549-1450 or jabel@HistoricChristChurch.org.
<cal1>Thursday/Nov. 5
<cal2>Author Marybeth Hicks. 6:30-8:30 p.m. On Redefining What's Cool for Our Kids. At Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 8710 Mount Vernon Highway, Alexandria.
KUKU. 7-9 p.m. Free. KUKU performs uniquely soulful and captivating music inspired by his African heritage. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, part of the Thursday Nite Local Spotlight series. At 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565 or go to www.torpedofactory.org.
<cal1>Saturday/Nov. 7
<cal2>Rummage Sale. 8 a.m. to noon. Features high-quality used infant, children and maternity gear — including clothes, toys, games, books, furniture and much more. There will also be great household bargains on linens, kitchenware and decorative/seasonal items. At Fort Hunt Preschool, 1909 Windmill Lane, Alexandria.
<cal1>Sunday/Nov. 8
<cal2>Two Man Gentlemen Band. 7 p.m. At Church of the Resurrection, 2280 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria. $18/general, $15/advance. Contact Kay at kay@focusmusic.org, 703-501-6061, or log onto FocusMusic.org.
Veteran's Day Event. 5 p.m. Honoring the Tuskeegee Airmen. Presentation by Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, veteran Tuskeege Airman and POW. Also featuring the premiere showing of a private WWII photo collection of the Tuskeege Airmen. At the Charles Houston Center, 901 Wythe Street. Go to www.seniorservicesalex.org or call 703-836-4414, ext. 10
<cal1>Saturday/Nov. 14
<cal2>Used Book Sale. At Kingstowne Library, 6500 Landsdowne Centre, Alexandria. Call 703-339-4610.
Christmas Bazaar and Silent Auction. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Baked goods, jewelry, hand-made crafts, white elephants, home-made foodstuffs, vendors featuring silk scarves, specialty jewelry, pressed-flower pictures, professional photographs, etc. Presented by the Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Café lunch from noon to 2 p.m.
<cal1>Sunday/Nov. 15
<cal2>Tea With Martha Washington. 3-4:30 p.m. $25/person. The tea includes the museum’s special blend of tea, pound cake, dried fruit, and assortment of cookies. Party attire is requested. At Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 North Royal Street, Alexandria. For reservations, call 703-838-4242. Visit www.gadsbystavern.org.
<cal1>Thursday/Nov. 19
<cal2>The Reverie Jazz Trio. 7-9 p.m. Free. The Reverie Jazz Trio will perform early jazz standards and forgotten favorites. At the Torpedo Factory Art Center, part of the Thursday Nite Local Spotlight series. At 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565 or go to www.torpedofactory.org.
<cal1>Saturday/Nov. 21
<cal2>Scottish Singer Jim Malcolm. 8 p.m. Jim Malcolm, formerly the lead singer with the Scottish band Old Blind Dogs, gives a special solo performance celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns. Tickets are $20 in advance, $24 at the door. At The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., Alexandria. Go to www.sunspotpro.com or call 800 404-9049.
Valentina Lisitsa, Piano Virtuoso. 7 p.m. Free. Classical piano concert featuring works of Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff. At Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2701 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria.
Annual Gift Fair. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. TJ Crew is hosting the fair at the Thomas Jefferson High School. If you have a craft/art/music or any personal invention or service that you would like to sell at the Gift Fair, go to the web site: www.tjgiftshow.com or contact Rajni Goel at tjgiftshow@gmail.com (703-288-5111).
<cal1>Nov. 27-Jan. 6
<cal2>Christmas at Mount Vernon. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The halls are decked for Christmas at Mount Vernon. Exciting additions include a dozen themed Christmas trees, historical chocolate-making demonstrations, and 18th-century dancing! $15/adults, $7/children ages 6-11, free for children under 6. At Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon. Call 703-780-2000 or www.MountVernon.org.
<cal1>Nov. 27-29
<cal2>Mount Vernon by Candlelight. 5-8 p.m. Mrs. Washington hosts an enchanting evening of candlelit tours. Cost is $18/adults, $12/children under 11. At Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon. Call 703-780-2000 or www.MountVernon.org.
<cal1>Tuesday/Dec. 1
<cal2>An Evening of Baroque Music. Works by Telemann, Handel and Bach with the National Chamber Players. At Episcopal High School, in Pendleton Hall in the Ainslie Arts Center, 1200 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria. Call 703-933-4135.
<cal1>Thursday/Dec. 3
<cal2>Torpedo Factory Art Center Holiday Open House. 6-9 p.m. Free. Galleries are open for holiday shopping plus music, refreshments and drawings for prizes. At 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4565.
<cal1>Dec. 4-5
<cal2>Campagna Center Scottish Christmas Walk, Parade and Weekend. Free. Parade is Saturday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. Even dogs wear kilts during the annual Scottish Christmas Walk. Christmas Marketplace is Friday, Dec. 4 all day, George Washington Masonic Memorial. Taste of Scotland, Friday, Dec. 4, evening. Call 703-549-0111, or go to www.ScottishChristmasWalk.com
<cal1>Dec. 4-6
<cal2>Mount Vernon by Candlelight. 5-8 p.m. Mrs. Washington hosts an enchanting evening of candlelit tours. Cost is $18/adults, $12/children under 11. At Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon. Call 703-780-2000 or www.MountVernon.org.
<cal1>Saturday/Dec. 5
<cal2>Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. Free at dusk. At Alexandria Marina at the foot of Cameron Street, behind the Torpedo Factory. Alexandria's harbor sparkles when brightly lit boats cruise along the Potomac River at the City's historic waterfront.
Holiday on the Avenue. Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood gets into the festive spirit with Holiday on the Avenue. Local businesses around the one-mile stretch of Mount Vernon Avenue feature all-day events and stay open until 9 p.m. The Del Ray tree lighting is at 6 p.m. at Colosanto Park at 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue. Then follow Santa down the luminary-lit Mount Vernon Avenue. Kids can sit on Santa’s lap for a photo at the end of the walk. Join in the caroling and stop in the shops for a hot drink. Free. www.VisitDelRay.com.
Ornament Decorating Workshop for Families. 1-4 p.m. Be inspired by the colors and patterns of pottery excavated in Alexandria and make a memorable holiday keepsake. Participants can decorate and take home dough ornaments which are shaped like artifacts from the museum’s own collection. Great for families. 1-4 p.m. Free. At the Alexandria Archaeology Museum (inside the Torpedo Factory)
105 N. Union Street, #327, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4399, www.AlexandriaArchaeology.org.
A Soldier's Christmas. Noon-4 p.m. The "Soldier's Christmas" program will feature re-enactors from the First Virginia Regiment, as well as interpreters from the Carlyle House and will highlight life in Alexandria during the holidays at the time of the American Revolution. Activities include demonstrations of military drill, fife and drum music, gaming and cooking. The Regimental surgeon will discuss Continental Army medicine and demonstrate 18th-century surgical instruments in the basement, while officers and ladies entertain guests in the dining room. Activities and games for children. $5 suggested donation. At 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria. Call 703-549-2997 or go to www.nvrpa.org/parks/CarlyleHouse/index.php.
<cal1>Dec. 11-12
<cal2>Gunston Hall Plantation Christmas and Yuletide Dinner. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage, sip warm cider by the fire and sample period foods prepared in the colonial hearth kitchen. Costumed characters will greet you in the house and throughout the grounds. Friday, Dec. 11, 6:30 and 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 12, 4:30, 6 and 8 p.m. Admission: Adults $15; Children 6-18 years, $8; Children 2-5 years, $2. Yuletide dinner: adults, 11 and older $49.95; Children 6-10 years, $24.95; 2-5 years $9.95. Reservations required. At 10709 Gunston Rd, Mason Neck. Call 703-550-9220, www.GunstonHall.org.
<cal1>Dec. 11-13
<cal2>Mount Vernon by Candlelight. 5-8 p.m. Mrs. Washington hosts an enchanting evening of candlelit tours. Cost is $18/adults, $12/children under 11. At Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon. Call 703-780-2000 or www.MountVernon.org.
<cal1>Saturday/Dec. 12
<cal2>Civil War Christmas in Camp. Learn how soldiers and families celebrated Christmas during the Civil War. Suggested donation $2 adults, $1 for kids. At Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, 4301 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4848, www.FortWard.org.
Kwanzaa Craft Workshop. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join the Alexandria Black History Museum staff in a fun interactive program that will guide you through the principles of this African American holiday as well as instruct you in ways to make Kwanzaa gifts called Zawadi. All supplies will be provided. At 902 Wythe Street, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4356, www.AlexBlackHistory.org.
The Black Candle: A Kwanzaa Celebration Film Screening. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Free. The Black Candle is a timely illumination on why the seven principles of Kwanzaa are so important to African-Americans today. The movie traces the holiday’s growth out of the Black Power movement in the 1960s to its present-day reality as a global, pan-African holiday embraced by over 40 million celebrants. At the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4356, www.AlexBlackHistory.org.
<cal1>Sunday/Dec. 20
<cal2>Holiday Favorites With the Colonial Handbell Ringers. 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Join the Colonial Handbell Ringers as they play more than 60 bronze bells. Musical selections include Christmas classics like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Feliz Navidad," and "Frosty the Snowman." Sing along with your favorite Christmas carols. At the Lyceum, Alexandria's History Museum, 201 South Washington Street, Alexandria. Call 703-838-4994, www.AlexandriaHistory.org.
<cal1>Thursday/Dec. 31
<cal2>First Night Alexandria. New Year's Eve celebration with music, dance, performing arts for all ages with more than 100 performances in 25 indoor venues throughout Old Town. All ages are welcome and all venues are alcohol free. 6 p.m. to midnight. Fireworks at midnight. Entrance fee. Call 703-746-3301, www.VisitAlexandriaVA.com or www.FirstNightAlexandria.org.
<cal1>Tuesday/Jan. 19, 2010
<cal2>Winter Concert. Works by Philip Glass with Dana Tae Soon Burgess Dance Co. Schönberg "Verklärte Nacht". At Episcopal High School, in Pendleton Hall in the Ainslie Arts Center, 1200 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria. Call 703-933-4135.
<cal1>Tuesday/May 4, 2010
<cal2>Benefit Concert for Autism Speaks. Schubert Cello Quintet in C. At Episcopal High School, in Pendleton Hall in the Ainslie Arts Center, 1200 North Quaker Lane, Alexandria. Call 703-933-4135.