Alexandria Birthday Celebration 2017: Fireworks, Weather

(Updated 2:15 p.m. July 6) ALEXANDRIA, VA — Independence Day has come and gone, but you don't need to put away your red, white and blue attire just yet. Alexandria holds off its Fourth of July fireworks a few days to have one big celebration on Saturday, July 8: Alexandria's birthday.

Alexandria is 27 years older than the United States, and it will mark 268 years with a huge waterfront party Saturday at Oronoco Bay Park. The event will include live music, food vendors and birthday cake, culminating with a spectacular fireworks show over the Potomac River.

The schedule is as follows:

• 5 p.m. - Performance by Ocho de Bastos
• 6 p.m. - Performance by U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps
• 7:30 p.m. - Welcome by Mayor Allison Silberberg, poetry reading by Alexandria Poet Laureate Wendi R. Kaplan
• 8 p.m. - Birthday cake
• 8:30 p.m. Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, Continental Color Guard present the National Anthem
• 9:30 p.m. - Fireworks display with "1812 Overture" featuring cannon support by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3d United States Infantry Regiment

Down the street, Hotel Indigo will host author Jay Roberts and Illustrator Christine Youngbluth for a signing of their book Lost Alexandria, An Illustrated History of Sixteen Destroyed Historic Homes in and Around Alexandria, Virginia. The book, published in May, will be sold at the event, which takes place from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. in the hotel library.

After thunderstorms and dreary weather on Thursday and Friday, Alexandria should see skies brighten up by the weekend. Saturday will be mostly sunny with highs in the 90s and lows in the mid 60s.

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For Fourth of July weekend, there was plenty happening around Alexandria. George Washington's Mount Vernon had a fireworks displays the prior weekend on June 30 and July 1 from 6 p.m.-9:45 p.m. The events included fireworks, mansion tours, musical performances and games. General and Mrs. Washington attended, and guests could explore the estate while trying fun activities like bocce ball, 18th -century dancing and more. Other activities were demonstrations on making 18th century ice cream and seeing a rare up-close glimpse of Washington's tomb.

On Independence Day, Mount Vernon held another patriotic event from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. An American Celebration is a naturalization ceremony for new citizens with a special appearance from the Washingtons. The event centered around a keynote address, daytime fireworks, military re-enactments, a wreath laying ceremony, birthday cake and a performance by the National Concert Band.

Patch will update this story with the latest weather forecast and any new information on Alexandria's birthday celebration.

Do you have any Fourth of July traditions in Alexandria? Let us know in the comments.

Image by Victor Wolansky/courtesy of Visit Alexandria