Major Parades Impacting Traffic December 3rd
Two major parades on Saturday, December 3, 2022, create the foundation of Alexandria’s Biggest Holiday Weekend: the 51st Annual Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, which kicks off in the morning, and the 22nd Annual Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights sponsored by Amazon, which includes waterfront festivities starting in the afternoon and the parade in the evening.
In order to safely produce these signature events, road closures, reserved parking and no parking zones will be in effect on Saturday, December 3. The King Street pedestrian-only zone will be extended to include the 200 block in addition to the 100 block and Unit/0 block of King Street. A new traffic pattern will take place on a portion of Union Street during the afternoon and evening. Read on for details.
Event Information
The Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade steps off at S. St. Asaph and Wolfe Streets at 11 a.m. and concludes at Market Square, King and Royal Street, at 1 p.m. View the route map and details at ALXScottishWalk.com.
The Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights starts with dockside festivities in Waterfront Park (2 to 8 p.m.) and a family friendly event in Oronoco Bay Park and Canal Center (2 to 7 p.m.) The parade will cruise along the waterfront from about 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Find program details and one mile of viewing locations at ALXBoatParade.com. Text ALXEVENTS to 888777 for event updates.
NEW One-Way Traffic Pattern in Afternoon and Evening
Following the conclusion of the Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk Parade, a one-way traffic pattern heading north will go into effect at approximately 3 PM on Union Street between Duke St. and Cameron St. All travel lanes will be used to route cars north to mitigate increased traffic for the Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights.
NEW Expanded King St. Pedestrian Zone
To better address safety and prepare for the high volume of pedestrians in the afternoon, King Street will become a pedestrian only area starting at the 200 block to the Waterfront at approximately 3 PM. Lee St. from Duke St. to Cameron St. will be open to local traffic only which includes residents, customers, parking garage patrons and deliveries. The intersection of King St. and Lee St. will be closed to all vehicles. Alexandria Police Department will have officers present to manage access for local traffic and divert all other vehicles.
Avoid Road Closures
Please be mindful of road closures and parking restrictions on Saturday, December 3. In addition to reviewing the enclosed information, you can download the free Waze app to navigate road closures.
No Parking & Reserved Parking Zones
Areas along the Scottish Walk parade route and adjacent to planned activities in Waterfront Park and Oronoco Bay Park may have no parking or reserved parking. Please read signs carefully and comply with the times posted. Your cooperation is essential to the success of the events, and the safety of event participants, attendees, and those who live and work in the City of Alexandria.
Business Impacts
Businesses should remind employees and patrons of the impacts of the events. Please schedule deliveries in advance or after the events to minimize the number of vehicles accessing event locations. Deliveries on Union Street may still occur as regularly scheduled using the new traffic patterns established for Saturday, December 3.
Stay Informed
Please check our event websites at ALXScottishWalk.com and ALXBoatParade.com for the most up-to-date information on the status of the events and logistical information. Note: Closures and other public space impacts may change based on event conditions and the advisement of on-site safety personnel. Text ALXEVENTS to 888777 for event updates.
ROAD CLOSURES & COMMUNITY IMPACTS – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2022
Plan ahead to avoid driving in areas with closures. Alexandria Police Department will be on site to direct traffic and manage key intersections. Signage will be placed in advance of the event to alert drivers to closures and new traffic patterns. Times of closures are approximate and subject to change.