About Art on the Avenue

We celebrated 31 years in 2026!

Art on the Avenue is a multicultural arts and music festival held in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, celebrating our community’s diversity through the arts.

The festival is held on the first Saturday in October.

Art on the Avenue takes place on Mount Vernon Avenue, between Hume & Bellefonte Avenues.
Getting here

Every year, thousands of visitors stroll down Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, Alexandria — people are greeted by more than 300 unique artists (jewelers, silversmiths, beaders, woodworkers, pottery makers, soap crafters, glass makers, painters, sculptors, fabric artists & much more), musicians (folk, rock-n-roll, country, choruses, classical, jazz & more), and food vendors (Indian, Mexican, BBQ, pizza, hot dogs, crab cakes, chocolate-dipped bananas on sticks, homemade cider, bagels, donuts & much more). Kids activities have always been a vital part of the festival too (stuff your own scarecrow, paint a pumpkin, design a lotus flower, weave screen art, to name a few).

Posters Over the Years

Art on the Avenue on Instagram:

We are so excited that one of our Art on the Avenue favorites, @thelavenderwhim's Jill-Ann Mark, designed the t-shirt art for this year's Del Ray Dog Fest! The 4th Annual Del Ray Dog Fest takes place on Sunday, April 12 from 11am to 3pm 🐾 Expect a
CONGRATULATIONS to our Pie Baking Contest boss, Autumn Rose, on being recognized by @volunteeralexandria with the Joan White Grassroots Service Award! Volunteer Alexandria: "Through her tireless efforts, Autumn’s hands-on leadership has
ARTIST APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN for the 2026 Art on the Avenue! 🎉 This is a juried festival; the deadline for artist applications is March 1. Last year, we received almost 600 applications for approximately 300 spots! PLEASE NOTE: If you do not s
CONGRATULATIONS to Katie Waynick! @ellabella_flourishfearlessly will represent Alexandria as part of the Made in Virginia Market during Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s Inaugural weekend festivities. This special market will feature small bu
Art on the Avenue fans will recognized Veronica Barker-Barzel's style in this holiday piece -- she was the local artist behind our 2024 poster art! Visit Veronica and other talented Del Ray artists at the @delrayartisans' 30th Annual Holiday Market
It's a beautiful morning for the @gustaveboulangerie_jardin Art & Craft Market, happening now until 2pm on the 2200 block of Mount Vernon Avenue, featuring some incredible local artists (including many Art on the Avenue favorites!): -- Janice Col
TONGIHT! @delrayartisans presents The Mini World: Small Works of Art, an art exhibit showcasing tiny art by artist members. Step into this miniature world and discover the joy of life’s little things. We invite you to experience the power of sm
We love how our small businesses support our Art on the Avenue artists year-round ❤ Learn how to stitch your fall memories during a Thread Magic workshop with Art on the Avenue artist @kaseyfolio on Thursday, Oct. 16 at @stardustalx. Swipe for deta
#SecondSaturday is the perfect time to come visit Del Ray again, with local artists and makers at events throughout the neighborhood! -- @delrayfarmersmarket, 8am-12pm, Pat Miller Neighborhood Square at Oxford & Mount Vernon Avenues -- @delrayvi
THANK YOU to everyone who came out, baked a pie, judged, sliced, or simply showed up hungry! This year’s contest was the biggest yet, with over 50 pies entered for judging and nearly 70 pies donated to help raise funds for the Alexandria Women&
Whether you were an artist or visitor, THANK YOU for being a part of Art on the Avenue! We look forward to welcoming you back to Mount Vernon Avenue -- visit Del Ray and support our incredible small businesses, wellness providers, retailers, and rest
THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING ART ON THE AVENUE DAY! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our volunteers, sponsors, artists, musicians, and festival-goers for the perfect day in Del Ray -- and to @cullumphoto of @alxnowdotcom for capturing these great
30th Anniversary t-shirts and hats are almost sold out! Come visit Leslie & Lori at the Festival Store on the 2300 block of Mount Vernon Avenue! #artontheavenue
Hungry? Stop by for a slice of pie in front of @thedairygodmom or swipe for all the food options along Mount Vernon Avenue! #artontheavenue #pies #food
Need to sit down and cool off? Check out the debut of Art on the Avenue film screenings inside the Mount Vernon Recreation Center, featuring short films by local filmmakers. Be sure to pick up some popcorn at the Rec Center’s tent on your way
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WETA Neighborhoods

View a brief video from our 2005 festival.

We’ve grown so much since then!

Watch now »

Art on the Avenue is voted a “Best of” Event by Virginia Living Magazine… ANNUALLY!

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