July's First Thursday Cancelled Amid Extreme Heat In Del Ray

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The First Thursday street festival scheduled for July 18 has been cancelled. The Del Ray Business Association cited extreme heat in the announcement.

The events collect donations for a different nonprofit every month. Although the event is cancelled, you can donate to the featured nonprofit, the Friends of Rocky Versace. The group raised money to dedicate the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in honor of Versace and the 66 other Alexandria residents killed during the Vietnam War. Versace, a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, was taken as a Prisoner of War and was executed by the Viet-Cong, reportedly while loudly singing "God Bless America."

Now the group is fundraising to renovate the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, which is located in front of the Mount Vernon Recreation Center. The Jen Walker Team, which sponsored the July First Thursday, donated $500 to Friends of Rocky Versace. To donate, visit the Friends of Rocky Versace fundraising page.

The next First Thursday, with an "Aloha Thursday" theme, will be held on Aug. 1. The street festivals happen from 6 p.m. to dusk at Pat Miller Neighborhood Square (intersection of Mount Vernon and Oxford Avenues).