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The Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival

The Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association (FVFEA) holds its annual Firehouse Festival each year on the first Saturday in August. The popular family event features antique fire apparatus, craft booths, displays by Alexandria merchants, and live music.
Page updated on May 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM

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The Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival

First Saturday in August

Join us on the 100 block of South Alfred Street. Learn about fire safety today and yesterday and see City firefighting equipment up close. There will be music, displays by community organizations, craft vendors, and food and beverages available. This family event is presented by the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association and Historic Alexandria.

In addition to the day's outdoor events, festival participants will enjoy visiting the Friendship Firehouse Museum, originally built as a firehouse in 1855.

The Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association (FVFEA) is now a philanthropic organization focusing on fire-fighting history and fire safety.  It remains active in community events, including the annual Festival, and supports historic preservation of the building and its collection.

Food and beverages are available. Children will receive free fire helmets and can visit the City's fire trucks. For more information, call 703.746.3891.

Adults and children walk on between vendor tents at the Friendship Firehouse Festival.
An adult and children look into a City of Alexandria ambulance through the open rear doors.
Adults and children stand near a parked Alexandria fire truck and ambulance.
Adults and children stand in line to sit in a fire truck.
Two musicians play a fiddle and a banjo on the street at the Friendship Festival.
A child touches a tin lantern held by a museum staff member.
Four children with an adult seated at an outdoor table coloring.
A child uses a hose to “extinguish” pretend flames painted on a miniature plywood house.
City of Alexandria representatives pose for a photograph at the 2019 Festival while cutting a cake.  From left to right: Acting Fire Chief Corey A. Smedley, Councilmember Amy Jackson, Councilmember Redella S. "Del" Pepper, Mayor Justin M. Wilson.
A family looks at items for sale at the Office of Historic Alexandria shop table.
Adults and children walk in the middle of the street between vendor tents at the Friendship Firehouse Festival.
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Adults and children walk on between vendor tents at the Friendship Firehouse Festival.
Festival goers at the 2021 festival.
An adult and children look into a City of Alexandria ambulance through the open rear doors.
Festival-goers look into a City of Alexandria ambulance, 2019.
Adults and children stand near a parked Alexandria fire truck and ambulance.
Festival-goers look at a City of Alexandria fire truck and ambulance parked outside of the museum, 2019.
Adults and children stand in line to sit in a fire truck.
Festival-goers stand in line to sit in a fire truck, 2021.
Two musicians play a fiddle and a banjo on the street at the Friendship Festival.
Musicians play a fiddle and a banjo at the 2021 festival.
A child touches a tin lantern held by a museum staff member.
A child touches a tin lantern held by a museum staff member, 2017.
Four children with an adult seated at an outdoor table coloring.
Kids and a parent enjoy a coloring activity at the 2019 festival.
A child uses a hose to “extinguish” pretend flames painted on a miniature plywood house.
A child uses a hose to “extinguish” pretend flames painted on a miniature plywood house, at the 2021 festival.
City of Alexandria representatives pose for a photograph at the 2019 Festival while cutting a cake.  From left to right: Acting Fire Chief Corey A. Smedley, Councilmember Amy Jackson, Councilmember Redella S. "Del" Pepper, Mayor Justin M. Wilson.
City of Alexandria officials cut a cake at the 2019 festival. From left to right: Acting Fire Chief Corey A. Smedley, Councilmember Amy Jackson, Councilmember Redella S. "Del" Pepper, Mayor Justin M. Wilson.
A family looks at items for sale at the Office of Historic Alexandria shop table.
A family looks at items for sale at the Office of Historic Alexandria shop table, 2019.
Adults and children walk in the middle of the street between vendor tents at the Friendship Firehouse Festival.
Festival goers at the 2013 festival.

The 2024 Festival

In 2024, we celebrated Friendship Fire Company’s 250th year.

cake cutting
Cake cutting
Children's activity in alley
Children's activity in alley
Children's activity in alley
Children with firetruck
Children with firetruck
Banner hoisted by ladder truck
junior docent in Gadsby's t-shirt and fire hat
Fire department table
Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association table
display with horn, bucket, hat
speaker with microphone
row of information tables
information table
information table
information table
Friendship Firehouse Festival Flyer August 3, 2024
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Grid View Close Modal
cake cutting
Cake cutting
Children's activity in alley
Children's activity in alley
Children's activity in alley
Children with firetruck
Children with firetruck
Banner hoisted by ladder truck
junior docent in Gadsby's t-shirt and fire hat
Fire department table
Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association table
display with horn, bucket, hat
speaker with microphone
row of information tables
information table
information table
information table
Friendship Firehouse Festival Flyer August 3, 2024

The 2022 Festival

The Festival on August 6, 2022 was the last opportunity to see Friendship’s 1851 hand-operated suction engine – elaborately decorated with the company’s clasped-hands insignia – before it was sent for conservation treatment. The restoration was possible thanks to the generous support of the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association, Alexandria Association, Historic Alexandria Foundation, and many individual donors.

Friendship’s newly restored 1858 hose-reel carriage was also on exhibit. This ornate apparatus was made by local craftsman Robert F. Prettyman. It is painted midnight blue with white decorative piping, has gilded decorative shields flanking each side of the reel, red wheels decorated with blue and gold striping, and a brass lantern and bells.

Friendship Firehouse Festival, street view, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, pumper, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, loading pumper on truck, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, trucks, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with child, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with child and firefighter, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with mother and child, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, ambulance, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, sheriff's vehicle, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, sheriffs, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake cutting, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake serving, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, musicians-2, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, musicians, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, exhibits-firebucket, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, exhibits-capes, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, meeting room, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity with intern, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, Junior Docents, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, Prize Drop, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, booths, 2022
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Friendship Firehouse Festival, street view, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, pumper, 2022
Moving the pumper out of the museum, prior to conservation
Friendship Firehouse Festival, loading pumper on truck, 2022
The pumper is being moved onto a truck for its journey to Pennsylvania for conservation
Friendship Firehouse Festival, trucks, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with child, 2022
Visiting a fire truck. Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with child and firefighter, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, truck with mother and child, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, ambulance, 2022
Visiting an ambulance. Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, sheriff's vehicle, 2022
Visiting a sheriff's vehicle. Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, sheriffs, 2022
Councilmember Sarah Bagley, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Police Chief Don Hayes and Councilwoman Alyia Gaskins. Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake cutting, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, cake serving, 2022
Friendship Firehouse Festival, musicians-2, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, musicians, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, exhibits-firebucket, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, exhibits-capes, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, meeting room, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity, 2022
Photo by Akim Evans - Zooporia, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, hose activity with intern, 2022
Intern Derrick Greene helps with the fire hose activity
Friendship Firehouse Festival, Junior Docents, 2022
Gadsby's Tavern Junior Docents
Friendship Firehouse Festival, Prize Drop, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC
Friendship Firehouse Festival, booths, 2022
Photo by Tony DeScipio, NVCC

In the News

  • Fighting fire with friendship for 250 Years, Out of the Attic, Alexandria Times, August 1, 2024
  • All Fired Up Friendship Firehouse celebrates 250 years, By Jeanne Theismann, Alexandria Gazette Packet, August 7, 2024
  • All Fired Up: Friendship Firehouse Festival celebrates 25 years. By Jeanne Theismann, Alexandria Gazette Packet, August 12, 2021.
  • The Friendship Firehouse Festival is Back! The Zebra, August 2021.

 

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