It is going to be a busy Summer at Alexandria Library’s Beatley Central Library (across from Cameron Station)! They have an amazing schedule of events for the month of July. We have selected a few highlights for you.
Learn to Sing the Music You Love | Wednesday, July 01, 2026 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: Grades 4-8
Join voice instructor Tessa Marr for a fun, hands-on vocal workshop!
Learn how to warm up your voice, use good breathing techniques, and sing with confidence. Practice your new skills with a few favorite pop hits, from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to K-pop’s "Golden" and Pharrell Williams’ "Happy."
Space is limited. Please visit the Youth Services desk 30 minutes before the program to request a ticket.
Expressive Painting Workshop | Monday, July 06, 2026 | 5:30pm - 7:00pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: 12-18
Explore the space where art and emotions mix while using pour painting techniques.
Led by Amber's Expressions, in collaboration with Dope Focus, this immersive workshop invites teens to explore the connection between emotion, self-care, and creativity through expressive painting. Participants will learn how to channel internal emotions onto canvas using color, movement, texture, and intuition — transforming feelings into powerful works of art. As part of the Self-Care Series, this experience is designed to create a safe and inspiring space where emotions become art, healing meets creativity, and self-expression takes center stage. No painting experience is necessary — just an open mind and a willingness to create freely.
Wear clothing you are comfortable getting paint on!
Registration is recommended for an event reminder, but space will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Beginners | Wednesday, July 08, 2026 | 10:00am - 12:00pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: seniors, adults
Weekly sessions with Edu-Futuro from July 8 to August 12 will cover the pros and cons of AI, the basics of ChatGPT, and the best AI tools to use in your daily life.
Registration required, class is in English.
Peter Wood: Collector of the Impossible | Wednesday, July 08, 2026 | 5:00pm - 5:45pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: 6-12
Peter’s interactive show feels like stepping into a cabinet of curiosities, filled with supernatural paintings, mysterious elixirs, mind-reading devices, and more. Blending amazing artifacts with humor and storytelling, Peter Wood has crafted a one-of-a-kind magic show experience that is guaranteed to surprise and delight.
Space is limited. Please visit the Youth Services desk 30 minutes before the program to request a ticket.
Rhythmaya: Bollywood Dance | Friday, July 10, 2026 | 10:30am - 11:15am | Large Meeting Room, Frank and Betty Wright Reading Garden | Age group: all ages
Dance along with us as Rhythmaya shares Indian culture through music, art and movement.
In the event of inclement weather, this event will be moved indoors.
Space is limited. Please visit the Youth Services desk 30 minutes before the program to request a ticket.
Helping You Navigate Medicare VA Insurance Counseling & Assistance Program (VICAP) | Wednesday, July 15, 2026 | 1:00pm - 3:00pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: seniors, adults
Come learn about your Medicare options – Original Medicare (Parts A & B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D), and Medicare Supplement (Medigap).
State-certified VICAP Counselors from the City of Alexandria will conduct a free Medicare presentation for individuals eligible for Medicare, and caregivers who are assisting their loved ones to navigate the Medicare system. The presentation will provide an overview of Medicare, enrollment process, coverage rules, Medicare Savings Programs, and more.
You have to register for this event.
Intro to DJing | Monday, July 20, 2026 | 6:00pm - 6:45pm | Large Meeting Room | Age group: 12-18
Join DJ Regy Reg for an oral history of the art of DJing, followed by a hands-on demonstration of elements such as beat counting, song mixing, and call-and-response event hosting. Have you ever wondered how DJing got started or what goes into the job itself? Join professional DJ Regy Reg in exploring this artform.
Registration is recommended for an event reminder, but space will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Sing Books with Emily | Friday, July 24, 2026 | 10:30am - 11:15am | Frank and Betty Wright Reading Garden | Age group: all ages
Join Emily for a fun and ultra-enriching singing storytime with song-based picture books!
Established in 2009, the mission of SING BOOKS WITH EMILY is to explore, document, make music for, and perform the wonderful world of illustrated song.
Follow/Like/Sing along with @SingBooksWithEmily on social media and YouTube.
Musicological Blog: https://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/
Space is limited. Please visit the Youth Services desk 30 minutes before the program to request a ticket. In case of inclement weather, this event will be moved indoors.
Build Your Own Time Capsule | Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Frank and Betty Wright Reading Garden, Large Meeting Room, Story Room | Age group: 6-12
Create a time capsule of your life in 2026, to be opened by Future You!
A time capsule is a special container filled with items from the present day, such as photos, school papers, news articles and keepsakes. It is put away in a special place for now, then opened sometime in the future so you can see how you -- and the world -- have changed. Sometimes individuals make time capsules, and sometimes communities -- such as schools or cities -- make them. Did you know that the Beatley Central Library is home to the City of Alexandria's 250th Anniversary Time Capsule?
Celebrate the summer reading theme, "Unearth a Story," by making your very own miniature capsule to take home with you. The Alexandria Archaeology Museum will be on site with ideas for what else you can include in your capsule, as well as photos of and documents about the contents of the 250th Anniversary Time Capsule! Materials will be provided for this self-paced, drop-in program.
This event will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather.
More about the Alexandria 250th Anniversary Time Capsule:
The Alexandria Archaeological Commission, with input from the community, created the City’s 250th Anniversary Time Capsule. The Capsule was buried in January 2000 in the Beatley Central Library Reading Garden and marked with an historic canal stone and a commemorative plaque. The Capsule is to be opened in 2099.
There is so much more to do at Beatley Central Library and the other branches of Alexandria Library! Check the full events calendar here
Did you know that thanks to a partnership between the Library of Virginia, Virginia State Parks and the Science Museum of Virginia, you can now use your Alexandria Library card to check out a Virginia State Park Pass. The pass allows free parking and entrance to all 41 Virginia State parks. More information on how to checkout a Virginia State Park Pass at the library can be found here.
Caroline Boomaars: Is on a four-year adventure in the US following her husband who works as an engineer officer for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Very happy to be living in the warm and welcoming community that is Cameron Station, Caroline tries to give back by volunteering for Beatley Library, Friends of Beatley Library and recently joined Cameron Station’s Communications Committee.
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