Alexandria, VA Sister Cities Committee

08/11/2026

Alexandria Rugby Takes the Mayor’s Cup Across the Pond to Dundee

The Alexandria Select Rugby teams jumped across the pond to Dundee, Scotland to compete in the Mayor’s Cup — a 17-year tradition that began when the mayors of the two “sister cities” challenged each other to a rugby match.

The women’s team absolutely dominated, winning 87–0! And in a fun throwback to the tradition, some of the original players, along with Mayor Gaskin’s husband, joined in a game of their own and brought home another cup.

The men’s Select team played a hard-fought, exciting game against the Scots. While they ultimately came up short, it was a fantastic match and a wonderful example of the friendship, sportsmanship and goodwill that makes this sister-city relationship so special.

After the games, the Scottish hosts welcomed the teams to their field tavern for live music, plenty of cheers and lots of camaraderie. The day ended with a wonderful gala celebrating the team(s), the tradition and the friendship between Dundee and Alexandria.

There were plenty of toasts and heartfelt remarks from both sides — and it seems this tradition will continue next year, when the Mayor’s Cup comes back home to Alexandria!

L-R: Bob Powers, Councilmember John Taylor Chapman, Coreh Kroboth, Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Joseph Ritter, Jacob Powers, Brendan Porter. Photo by MaryBeth Powers

08/11/2026

Exciting games all around last weekend! Way to go Alexandria and Dundee 🎉🏉

08/11/2026

🏉 Rugby in Dundee!

What a weekend for Alexandria rugby! Our teams brought home two of three trophies from the revived Mayors’ Cup Challenge.

The Veterans/Legends team kicked things off Friday with a 38–24 victory, while Alexandria’s women made history with an incredible 87–0 shutout of Dundee, earning the Lord Provost Salver in their first-ever appearance in the challenge!

The men’s team fought hard but fell 33–17, meaning the Mayor’s Cup remains in Dundee for now.

Beyond the competition, it was a wonderful weekend of rugby, friendship, and sister city connection between Alexandria and Dundee. ❤️🏉

Go Team Alexandria!

08/10/2026

A wonderful evening in Dundee!

Our Alexandria delegation enjoyed a special dinner hosted by the Dundee Alexandria Twinning Association, complete with piping by renowned piper and DATA member Craig Weir, who played both the Scottish and American national anthems, along with thoughtful gift exchanges between our sister cities.

Thank you to our friends at DATA for such a warm welcome and fun times with rugby! 🏉

Go Team Alexandria!

08/07/2026

We’re excited to share that members of the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee have officially arrived in Dundee, Scotland, for this year’s Mayor’s Cup Rugby Challenge!

The delegation was warmly welcomed at a reception in the Council Chambers at Dundee City Hall, joined by Alexandria’s Mayor Gaskins, the Deputy Lord Provost of Dundee, Committee President Eric Compton, Dave Mitchell, the Dundee Alexandria Twinning Association and the Alexandria rugby players.

We look forward to sharing more highlights from the visit as our delegation continues celebrating the longstanding friendship between Alexandria and Dundee. Stay tuned! 🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇸

07/20/2026

07/20/2026

🏉 Join us as we cheer on Alexandria’s Mayor’s Cup Rugby Team before they head to Dundee, Scotland, to represent our Sister City!

📅 Sunday, July 26 | 12:00–3:00 p.m.
📍 Fraternal Order of the Eagles
1015 Cameron St., Alexandria, VA

This free, family-friendly event is a great chance to meet the Men’s, Women’s, and Legends teams, watch rugby demonstrations, enter raffles every 30 minutes for Mayor’s Cup merchandise, enjoy fun activities for all ages, and grab food and drinks available for purchase.

Come celebrate Alexandria’s friendship with Dundee and help give our teams a great send-off! 🏉🎉

07/18/2026

🎶🇺🇸 The final performance of the weekend is tonight at 7pm!

Experience The Washington Tattoo, a spectacular celebration of music, military tradition, and international artistry inspired by the great tattoo traditions of Scotland and around the world.

Presented as part of the America 250 commemoration, this unforgettable evening brings together more than 200 military musicians and performers for a powerful tribute to America’s history, service, and shared spirit.

Join us at Lisner Auditorium for an evening of pageantry, precision, dramatic storytelling, and a grand finale celebrating 250 years of the American story. 🇺🇸✨

Don’t miss the closing performance of this incredible event!

🔗 https://www.thewashingtontattoo.com/twt-usa250

07/02/2026

This Sunday, July 5th 11am-12pm come join us at the concert!
Göteborg/Gothenburg Embassy of Sweden in USA 🇸🇪🇺🇸

Experience the music, energy, and excitement of Göta Lejon, the Marching Show Band from Gothenburg, Sweden! Talented young performers are traveling from Sweden to entertain audiences of all ages with a lively marching band and dance performance. Presented by the Alexandria Sister Cities Committee.

Gothenburg, Sweden and Alexandria’s sister city of Helsingborg, Sweden, located a short distance nearby, share a similar coastal geography, maritime heritage, and distinctly outward-looking, trade-oriented character that defines south western Sweden.

06/20/2026

Yesterday we celebrated Juneteenth as the end of slavery. In observance of the holiday, we’d like to reflect on the historic impact of these events in the context of our own City and sister cities.

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered several impactful lectures across Scotland—including Alexandria’s own sister city of Dundee—during his tour from 1845 to 1847, where he addressed the connections between the Free Church of Scotland and American slavery. His speeches drew large crowds, igniting significant public interest and protests against the church’s acceptance of donations from slaveholders, highlighting his role in the abolitionist movement in Scotland. Douglass’s presence in Dundee was was marked by a strong response from the community, showcasing his influence on the anti-slavery cause. Dundee’s historical links to slavery have been acknowledged and explored in city walking trail.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-63171245