Here’s How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Alexandria

Ring in 2025 in Alexandria, VA, with mouthwatering New Year’s Eve menus, live performances during First Night Alexandria, arts events and two spectacular fireworks shows.

Savor New Year’s Eve Restaurant Offerings

A group of friends raise their glasses in a toast while sitting in a heated outdoor igloo, decked out with lights, beside a table filled with food.

Pictured: King & Rye

Head to one of Alexandria’s many eateries offering chef-driven New Year’s Eve menus. Get warm and cozy in one of King & Rye’s heated igloos with southern-inspired holiday specials. Attend a New Year’s Eve party with panoramic views at Jula’s on the Potomac, or indulge in German and Bosnian bites during a special celebration at Old House Cosmopolitan Grill. Cocktail lovers can savor a multi-course menu with curated drink pairings at Captain Gregory’s on New Year’s Eve. Find an all-inclusive bash at Del Ray’s Evening Star Café or soak up supper club vibes with live music ushering in 2025 at The Birchmere. Or, savor a multi-course meal when you order Spice Kraft Indian Bistro or Whiskey & Oyster‘s special New Year’s Eve menus.

Celebrate Olde Year’s Day at Torpedo Factory Art Center

A group of adults stand beside a table in Torpedo Factory Art Center's lobby working intently on their art projects. Credit: Torpedo Factory Art Center

Spend the afternoon of December 31 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center with the whole family during Olde Year’s Day from 12 to 4 p.m. Find hands-on activities, meet artists working in their studios and get inspired for 2025.

Enjoy Fireworks, Music and More at First Night Alexandria

A crowd standing on lower King Street watches fireworks erupt above the Potomac River, above trees draped in twinkling lights.

Experience the D.C. region’s signature family-friendly New Year’s Eve festival of music and more. The 30th Annual First Night Alexandria will ring in 2025 with music, comedy and dance at various Old Town venues. New this year, enjoy a spectacular twilight fireworks show at 6 p.m. and a breathtaking finale fireworks display at midnight. Purchase your pass to performances on the event website (fireworks are free to view). Viewers are encouraged to soak up the show from waterfront restaurants or spread out among the viewing areas listed below.

Canal Center Plaza (Center Canal Plaza)
Rivergate Park (2 Montgomery St.)
Oronoco Bay Park (100 Madison St.)
Founders Park (351 North Union St.)
Waterfront Park (1A Prince St.)
Windmill Hill Park (501 South Union St.)
Fords Landing boardwalk (99 Franklin St.)
Jones Point Park (Jones Point Dr.)
George Washington Masonic Temple (101 Callahan Dr.)

Luxuriate in a New Year’s Day Brunch

A couple sits in a red booth at Mia's Italian Kitchen smiling and enjoying pizza and cocktails. — Pictured: Mia’s Italian Kitchen

Kick off 2025 on a luxurious note with brunch offerings at Alexandria restaurants, from French-infused flavors to seafood specialties to riverside views and beyond. Head to beloved brunch destinations such as Royal Restaurant, Mia’s Italian Kitchen or Theismann’s and start your year on a scrumptious note.