There is a lot to love about late October in Old Town — crisp air off the Potomac, brick sidewalks dusted in fallen leaves, and a neighborhood that leans all the way into Halloween. This weekend in Old Town Alexandria runs October 23 through 25, 2026, and it delivers a genuine mix: a spooky shopping event on Friday, a full day of trick-or-treating and art-making on Saturday, and a slow Sunday on the waterfront or browsing galleries.
Whether you are stopping by for the day or spending the full weekend, here is everything you need to plan it well. For events beyond the neighborhood, the Old Town Alexandria events calendar also lists what is happening across the rest of the city. And if the weekend has already passed by the time you are reading this, the things to do in Old Town Alexandria guide is always current.
This Weekend in Old Town Alexandria: Friday
The weekend kicks off with a Halloween-themed shopping event at Current Boutique. Styling Series: Spook & Shop takes over Current Boutique at 1009 King St from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This recurring styling event gets a Halloween makeover, with the boutique's curated secondhand and vintage clothing on hand to help you build a costume or a creepy-chic look. It is a relaxed, social evening — far more festive than a regular shopping trip. Confirm details and RSVPs directly with Current Boutique ahead of time.
If you are heading out after the event, King Street is at its atmospheric best on a cool October night. The gas lanterns glow, the restaurants hum, and a walk toward the water takes no more than fifteen or twenty minutes on foot from the boutique.
Saturday
Saturday is the big day of the weekend, with two well-loved annual events running simultaneously across Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
Old Town Trick-or-Treat runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting at Pippin Toy Co. Participating merchants and businesses along King Street and throughout the neighborhood hand out candy, and the streets fill with costumes of every description. It is a beloved Old Town tradition, and the combination of costumed revelers, historic architecture, and fall color makes for a memorable afternoon. Pick up a treat map at a participating shop and work your way through the neighborhood at your own pace.
Simultaneously, the Torpedo Factory Art Center at 105 N. Union St. hosts its Art Safari from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Art Safari is a drop-in, hands-on event where visitors explore the studios, meet working artists, and try their hand at art-making activities. It runs alongside trick-or-treat naturally — the Torpedo Factory is a great stop on any route through Old Town on Saturday, and it is free to enter the building (individual artist studios may have their own pricing for materials or workshops).
Also on Saturday, NAMIWalks Northern Virginia 2026 takes place at Oronoco Bay Park, the waterfront green space at the north end of Old Town. This mental health awareness walk brings the community together along the Potomac. Check the NAMI Northern Virginia website to confirm start time, registration, and any entry details.
The Old Town Farmers' Market runs its usual Saturday hours — 7 a.m. to noon — on the 100 block of North Royal Street and in the Tavern Square courtyard, just across the street from Market Square while City Hall renovations continue. Arrive early for the best selection: late-October vendors typically bring winter squash, root vegetables, apple cider, baked goods, and locally produced specialty foods. It is one of the oldest continuously operating farmers' markets in the country, and on a fall Saturday morning it is hard to beat.
Sunday
Sunday is the quieter bookend to a full Saturday, and Old Town rewards a slower pace. The Torpedo Factory Art Center is open Sunday (hours vary by studio — confirm on their website), making it an easy stop if you missed Art Safari or want more time browsing the working studios. The building's 74,000 square feet of studio and gallery space houses more than 160 artists, and you can watch painters, printmakers, jewelers, and sculptors at work.
Ghost tours are a fixture in Old Town every October. Several companies run walking tours of the neighborhood's Colonial-era haunts, churchyards, and lantern-lit alleys on weekend evenings throughout the month. Check with Alexandria Colonial Tours or similar local operators to confirm Sunday availability and booking — tours typically depart from the waterfront end of King Street in the early evening.
If the afternoon calls for something lower-key, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum on South Fairfax Street and the Alexandria Black History Museum in the Parker-Gray neighborhood are both worth a visit. Confirm their Sunday hours before heading over, as hours can vary by season.
Free things to do
- Old Town Trick-or-Treat (Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.) — free to participate; just walk the neighborhood.
- Torpedo Factory Art Center — free to enter the building and browse studios; Art Safari (Saturday) is a free drop-in event.
- The Alexandria waterfront — Waterfront Park and Oronoco Bay Park are free and open daily. It is about 17 blocks from the King Street–Old Town Metro station to the waterfront.
- Saturday Farmers' Market — free to browse on North Royal Street and in Tavern Square, 7 a.m. to noon.
- King Street window shopping — the boutiques, galleries, and storefronts along King Street make for a great free afternoon even if you are not spending. Check the things to do guide for gallery hours and current exhibitions.
- Ghost tour browsing — even a walk along the lantern-lit streets of the Old Town historic district on a Halloween-weekend evening has its own atmosphere, no ticket required.
On a rainy day
Late October weather can go either way, and Old Town handles a rainy afternoon well. The Torpedo Factory Art Center is an obvious anchor — you could spend two hours inside without backtracking, and all 10 galleries and most studios are covered. The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is a fascinating indoor option, with original 19th-century pharmaceutical equipment and an atmosphere that suits October perfectly. Confirm hours on the City of Alexandria website before visiting.
King Street's stretch of independent boutiques — including Current Boutique at 1009 King St — makes for good rainy-day browsing, and most are open Saturday and Sunday. For a longer sit-down, Old Town has no shortage of cozy spots: a wood-paneled bar, a wine bar, or a coffee shop can turn a gray afternoon into a perfectly pleasant one. If you want inspiration for where to go, the Old Town Alexandria dining guide covers the full range.
Where to eat
Old Town restaurants on King Street and throughout the neighborhood are in good form heading into Halloween weekend. For a festive Friday night after the Spook & Shop event, the King Street corridor has cocktail bars, wine-focused spots, and sit-down dining within easy walking distance of Current Boutique. On Saturday, expect the area around the Torpedo Factory and the waterfront to be lively at lunch — this is a good day to have a reservation or arrive early at popular spots. Sunday brunch on King Street is a local ritual worth building into the day.
Old Town restaurants in Old Town range from oyster bars and waterfront seafood to Italian, Middle Eastern, and American fare, with options at every price point. The full dining guide breaks things down by occasion and cuisine to make choosing easier.
Getting there and parking
The King Street–Old Town Metro station (Blue and Yellow lines) puts you about 12 blocks from King and Washington Streets. From there, the free King Street Trolley runs between the Metro station and City Hall/Market Square — a helpful option if you want to avoid the walk up King Street, though note the trolley does not continue to the waterfront. If you are heading to Waterfront Park or Oronoco Bay Park, plan on the walk from Market Square (it is a flat, pleasant stroll through the historic district). For more on transit options, see our guide on getting to Old Town Alexandria from DC.
Driving on a busy Halloween weekend means planning ahead for parking. Old Town has a mix of street meters and garages; the garages near the waterfront and along the King Street corridor fill quickly on event Saturdays. Our complete Old Town Alexandria parking guide covers every garage, lot, and meter zone with current pricing and tips for finding a spot on a crowded weekend. Arriving before 11 a.m. on Saturday — especially if you want to catch the farmers' market — is your best bet for easy parking.
If you missed last weekend's roundup (October 16–18), it is archived on the site. And for the full picture of what is happening in the neighborhood any time, the events calendar is updated regularly.