Brian Hilton as George Washington and Benjamin Goldman as the Marquis de Lafayette.
The streets of Old Town were filled with music, pageantry and patriotic celebration as the annual George Washington Birthday Parade honored the legacy of America’s first president in his hometown. The long‑standing tradition, first held in 1801, is recognized as the oldest and largest parade of its kind in the nation.
This year’s parade was held Feb. 14, marking the first time the celebration was held on the Saturday preceding the national Presidents Day holiday. With the theme “Virginia’s Son – America’s Founding Father,” the parade celebrated Washington’s leadership during the 250th Anniversary Year of the Declaration of Independence.
The 2026 parade was led by Grand Marshals Ginnie Sebastian Storage and Michael J. Elston, national president generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution, respectively.
This year’s festivities featured a vibrant cross-section of community groups and youth organizations. Marching units energized the crowd as they made their way through the city’s historic corridor. Prominent appearances from reenactors included Brian Hilton portraying General Washington and Benjamin Goldman as the Marquis de Lafayette.
Local schools and civic organizations added their own energy to the celebration. The Bishop Ireton High School Varsity Cheerleading Team performed along the route, while the First Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line offered historical demonstrations reminiscent of Alexandria’s Revolutionary-era heritage.
The annual parade is a signature element of Alexandria’s monthlong George Washington Birthday Celebration, which includes more than a dozen historical and cultural events ranging from free museum admissions to 18th-century-themed banquets. The broader celebration underscores the city’s place in Washington’s personal and professional life, with more than 140 local sites connected to the nation’s first president.
The U. S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.
Children enjoy a curbside seat for the parade.
Members of the John Alexander chapter of the DAR.
Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck as Abraham Lincoln.
A tribute to military veterans.