Please welcome Dave Blaha, the newest Member of the OTNA Board of Directors. Dave is an avid traveler, runner, and biker who lives in the Venue townhomes with his wife Diane and dog Depper. Dave was a Principal Partner with the international sustainability consulting firm, ERM, where was responsible for managing ERM’s Urban Planning Division and helped manage environmental and social risks associated with large CAPEX projects for lenders like the World Bank.

Dave loves living in Old Town North and welcomes the opportunity to join the OTNA Board, where he “hopes to contribute to improving the place we all call home” and is especially passionate about advancing progress on the Old Town North Linear Park.

Dave takes the place of OTNA Board Member Tommy Volk. We are grateful to Tommy for his service on the OTNA Board and are thrilled that he will remain involved as an OTNA Member.

7th Annual Old Town Festival of Speed & Style

This Sunday, May 17th, from 10am - 3pm

*Original artwork by Tom Kuester for the 2026 Old Town Festival of Speed & Style*

Stroll over to lower King St. (between Royal St. and Washington St.) this Sunday for this premier automotive experience featuring cars from the 1950’s - 1980’s including marques such as Ferrari, Jaguar, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maserati, and many more. The event includes a fashion show featuring a special tribute to Ferrari at noon, an awards ceremony at 12:45pm, and live music from Shrinking Violets and Lowball.

Proceeds from the festival will go to support Community Lodgings, ALIVE!, and the Breast Cancer Collective.

Festival sponsors include OTNA Members Hotel AKA Alexandria, Royal Restaurant, Current - TideLock, and the Old Town North Alliance.

The Old Town North Alliance will have a table set up outside of Made in ALX (415 King St.). Stop by for one of the new Old Town North t-shirts (“Life’s better up North!”), a free craft for kids featuring customizable wooden car ornaments from Made in ALX, and to learn more about OTNA and our work to advance the Old Town North Arts & Cultural District. We’ll have OTN car magnets and stickers for sale too. Proceeds from sales of the OTN merchandise will support OTNA.

A map of the event is included below (To print map click on map image):

Coming up this weekend in and around Old Town North

(and newly added events for later this month!)

Thursday, May 14th - Sunday, May 17th

Free Prosecco at Hank’s Pasta Bar (818 N. Saint Asaph St.) - To celebrate the grand opening on May 14th, the first 50 guests to visit Hank’s Pasta Bar each day from May 14th - May 17th will get a free glass of prosecco with their meal. Hank’s Pasta Bar does not take reservations. Check out the menu here.

Friday, May 15th

Artist Talk at Muse Studio One (1201 N. Royal St.) from 5pm to 7pm - Visit Muse Studio One to view the exhibit, “Inheritance of Vision,” and hear from father and daughter artists Robert and Celia Liberace as they discuss “what it looks like when legacy and independence occupy the same canvas.” RSVP here for this free event.

Saturday, May 16th

Free craft for kids at Made in ALX (415 King St.) from 9am - noon. Special in-store event featuring “7 Days of Sophie,” a recently released book about the adventures of Sophie the dog.

Sunday, May 17th

7th Annual Old Town Festival of Speed & Style from 10am - 3pm. Come for the new OTN shirts; stay for the amazing collection of exceptional automobiles! Free automobile-themed kids craft from Made in ALX!

Newly added May events!

Monday, May 18th

Virtual Community Update Meeting on the Waterfront Flood Mitigation Project via Zoom at 6:30pm. To register for the meeting, click here.

Thursday, May 21st

EcoCity Business Webinar on Dominion’s Energy Conservation Programs from 10:30am - 11:30am. Learn how to save energy and lower the utility bills for your business. To register, click here.

Sunday, May 31st

Old Town Arts & Crafts Fair (415 King St.) from 10am to 4pm. Join Made in ALX and Volunteer Alexandria in Tavern Square for this arts & crafts fair featuring local artists.

Silent Reading Party at Hotel AKA (625 First St.) from 1:30pm - 3:30pm. Enjoy a summer-inspired cocktail or mocktail, small bites, live music, and a peaceful refuge for enjoying a great book at the next Hotel AKA Silent Ready Party. Co-hosted by Old Town Books with a special craft add-on offered by Relume. Register here.

New OTNA Board Member and 7th Annual Old Town Festival of Speed & Style - this Sunday, May 17th!

Meet Dave Blaha - new OTNA Board Member