MLK Jr. Day 2019 In Alexandria: Events, What's Open, Closed

While Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday was on Jan. 15, the federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader falls on a Monday in January. This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, Jan. 21.

City of Alexandria government offices and public schools will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Virginia state offices will also be closed on Friday, Jan. 18, for the Lee-Jackson Day, a state holiday. A few services will operate, including transit and certain recreation centers.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is considered a national Day of Service. Here are the openings and closings to be aware of around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as well as Day of Service volunteer opportunities around Alexandria.

Holiday openings and closings

City of Alexandria offices: Closed on Jan. 21.

State offices: The Alexandria Circuit Court Clerk's Office, Alexandria Circuit Court, Alexandria General District Court and Alexandria Juvenile Court and Domestic Relations District Court (located at 520 King St.), will be closed on Friday, Jan. 18 and Monday, Jan. 21. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Office (2681 Mill Road) will also be closed on Jan. 18 and 21.

Alexandria City Public Schools: Closed on Jan. 21.

Animal shelter: The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will be open on Monday, Jan. 21, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with animal visitation beginning at noon.

DASH and King Street Trolley: DASH bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule on Jan. 21. The free King Street Trolley will run during its regular operating hours, every 10 to 15 minutes, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., between the King Street Metro Station and the waterfront.

Emergency hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703-746-5800; the domestic violence hotline at 703-746-4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline at 703-746-3401; the adult protective services hotline at 1-888-832-3858; and the sexual assault hotline at 703-683-7273.

Health facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King Street) and the Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard Street) will be closed on Friday, Jan. 18, and Monday, Jan. 21. The Teen Wellness Center (3330 King Street) will be closed on Jan. 21.

Historic sites and museums: All Historic Alexandria facilities will be closed on Jan. 21, except the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Office of Historic Alexandria website.

Impound lot: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Avenue) will be closed on Jan. 21.

Libraries: Alexandria Library branches will be closed on Jan. 21. The Alexandria Law Library (520 King Street) will be closed on Jan. 18 and 21.

Metrorail: Metrorail will run on a Saturday schedule on Jan. 21 from 5 a.m.to 11:30 p.m. Off-peak fares will be in effect and parking will be free at Metro lots and garages. Blue and Yellow Line trains will run every 20 minutes. There will be single tracking between Pentagon City and National Airport on Jan. 19-21. For more information, visit WMATA's weekend page.

Metrobus: Metrobus will operate on a Saturday and supplemental schedule on Jan. 21. Visit www.wmata.com for more details on specific routes.

Parking: The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with signed parking time limits on Monday, Jan. 21. This suspension of enforcement applies only to the restrictions at legal parking spaces, and does not permit parking in any location normally prohibited, such as no-parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities. Temporary no-parking signs will be enforced on January 21. Regular parking restrictions will be enforced on Friday, Jan. 18.

Post offices: Closed on Jan. 21.

Recreation and arts centers: On Jan. 21, the Chinquapin Recreation Center and Aquatics Facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the Charles Houston Recreation Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and the Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other recreation centers will be closed on Jan. 21.

Trash pickup: Residential refuse and recycling will be not collected on Jan. 21. Collection services will be delayed by one day that week. The Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Collections Drop-off Center (3224 Colvin Street) will be closed on Jan. 21.

Day of Service events

• MLK Day of Service held by Volunteer Alexandria
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Volunteer held by Shiloh Baptist Church
• Food and Produce Packaging held by Islamic Relief USA in Arlington
• CASA Edu-Futuro Moving Forward MLK Day Project in Arlington
• UMR MLK Day Service Project in Annandale

Find more opportunities at www.nationalservice.gov/serve-your-community/mlk-day-service.

Image: WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 15: The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is shown in the early morning light on Martin Luther King Day January 15, 2018 in Washington DC. Martin Luther King Jr. would have been 89 years old today. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)