This Caroling Event Packs A Del Ray Restaurant Every Year

ALEXANDRIA, VA—If Saturday night's tree lighting isn't enough holiday fun for you, there's a popular event the next day that draws plenty of participants every year.

Alexandria resident Christen Kinard brought Beer & Hymns to Del Ray three years ago. Despite the name's suggestion, the event is for religious and non-religious people alike. The concept is pretty simple: people gather to drink beer and sing hymns.

The group meets every month at FireFlies (1501 Mount Vernon Avenue), but its upcoming Christmas carols edition is especially popular among locals.

Kinard tells Patch in a email the event creates a sense of community in light of political and cultural differences.

"When the event starts, there's no preaching, praying, or proselytizing. We are literally there to sing hymns and maybe have a beer or two--that's it. The crowd is diverse and the event kid-friendly," she said.

Kinard learned about Beer & Hymns at a music festival in North Carolina. The idea had started in 2006 when a group of guys took some homeless people and YMCA volunteers on a retreat. One evening they were performing, they found people of all backgrounds were connecting with classic hymns. Today the group has chapters everywhere from Nashville to Hong Kong, and thanks to Kinard, in Del Ray.

So come ready to sing your Christmas favorites with your neighbors. For more information, visit www.beerandhymnsnova.com.

Images via Sarah Marcella Photography, courtesy of Beer & Hymns