For Immediate ReleaseFor More Information, Contact
November 1, 2007
PIO# 276-07/jlh
Jennifer Harris, Communications Officer, at 703.838.5078


Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria
November 3 – 9, 2007

Saturday, November 3 – Cooking Demonstration at Market Square
Executive Chef Gordon Forester of Union Street Public House will give a cooking demonstration at the Alexandria Farmers’ Market, located at Market Square, 301 King St. He will demonstrate how to prepare a variety of culinary delights, and samples will be available for tasting following the demonstration. Please call Jack Browand at 703.838.4343 for more information.

Saturday, November 3 – Swordsmen’s Rendezvous

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 North Royal Street, is featuring re-enactments of 18th-century swordplay and a display of 18th-century weapons. This popular event includes audience participation. Cost is $5 per person, ages 5 and up. Tours are from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and reservations are required. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Monday - November 5 – Lights for Bikes!
City staff and BikeWalk Alexandria volunteers will give away bicycle headlights and taillights on Monday, November 5, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Commonwealth Avenue near Four Mile Run. The "Lights for Bikes" campaign is intended to help reduce the number of nighttime bicycle crashes during the fall and winter months. For more information, please visit alexandriava.gov/localmotion and click on Bike and Walk, or call 703.838.4966, ext. 183.

Wednesday, November 7 -- Street Smart Campaign Kickoff
At 10:30 a.m., DASH General Manager Sandy Modell will join representatives from other jurisdictions around the region in Rockville for the Street Smart pedestrian and bicycle safety campaign kickoff event. DASH is leading the way among local transit companies by ensuring all of its bus operators receive up-to-date training on pedestrian and bicycle safety. The Street Smart campaign is a month-long regional media awareness effort designed to address the growing problem associated with pedestrian and bicycle crashes with motor vehicles. For more information, please visit www.alexride.org/streetsmart.php.

Thursday, November 8 – 18th Century Dance Lessons

In preparation for the Late Harvest Ball on November 17, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is offering 18th-century English country dancing lessons from expert dance instructor Corky Palmer. Lessons will be held at the museum, 134 North Royal St., from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $12 per person and reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703.838.4242.

Thursday, November 8 – Tuskegee Airman Lecture and Book Signing
With Veterans Day approaching, Curtis Christopher Robinson, a former Tuskegee Airman, will discuss his service in the elite flying corps during World War II at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St. Robinson will also sign copies of his autobiography, A Pilot’s Journey: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airman, co-authored by George Norfleet. Robinson’s remarkable story recalls how he and his fellow airmen broke new ground and why they continued to achieve, contributing to their community and their country’s success long after the war. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Continuing Exhibit – “God Has Made a Way in Leesburg”

“God Has Made a Way in Leesburg,” a photography exhibition by Big Al Carter, is open at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St. These large format images, on display for the first time, showcase Carter’s family members and their community in Loudoun County during the early 1970s. Admission is free! Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Coming Soon! Alexandria’s Turkey Trot on Thursday, November 22
The 32nd annual Alexandria Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving morning, starting at 10 a.m. at the Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology, 3600 Commonwealth Ave. The five-mile road race draws a large cross section of runners from around the region and across the country. Registration is $15 plus two cans of food, with all donations turned over to ALIVE, Inc., a local organization serving Alexandria families in need. Register online by Monday, November 19 and save $5! For more information, please visit www.turkeytrot.pwba.org.

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