Del Ray's First Thursday Stays Socially Distant In July

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As the ongoing pandemic changes daily habits and summer plans, Del Ray's First Thursday street festival with continue to be held remotely.

The theme of July's porch party is "Red, White, and Blue." From 6 p.m. to dusk on Thursday, July 2, Del Ray residents are invited to take part in patriotic activities to celebrate the Independence Day holiday.

Here are the activities you can do at home or with social distancing:

• Order dinner and drinks for carryout from one of Del Ray's local restaurants, and have dinner on your front porch, front steps, or front yard, and greet neighbors from a distance.
• Each First Thursday event collects donations for a different local nonprofit. July's event will benefit Dunbar Alexandria-Olympic Boys & Girls Club. On Thursday, July 2, plastic bins will be placed on Mount Vernon Avenue by 4 p.m. at the intersection of all streets from Hume to Braddock; in front of the Mount Vernon Recreation Center; and at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and the following streets: Braddock, Monroe, Alexandria Ave., Windsor, Del Ray, and Ashby. Items will be picked up by 7:30 p.m. Needed donations include individually-wrapped children's snacks, fruit cups, juice boxes and hand sanitizer. Cash donations can also be made online.
• Complete the latest Del Ray Bingo card. Each completed line gets you a chance to win $50 in Del Ray Dollars; a filled card gets you 12 chances. The completed card and pictures of challenges can be sent to delraybingo@gmail.com between June 22 and July 13.
• Decorate your house, porch, door, or sidewalks red, white, and blue by Saturday, July 4. To enter for a chance to win $100 in Del Ray Dollars, register your house by emailing delraybingo@gmail.com. The Alexandria Boys & Girls Club members will judge the contest.
• Do you have an employee, friend, neighbor, or family member that has gone above and beyond to serve the community during this challenging time? Post photos or videos on your social media accounts recognizing our community heroes, with the hashtags #VisitDelRay and #delrayheroes
• During First Thursday, take a video or post it on your social media accounts with the hashtags #VisitDelRay

Del Ray's First Thursday events are typically held from April to September. The June event was canceled in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis and the resulting demonstrations.