Local Restaurants Compete with Cherry Menu Items in Honor of George Washington's Upcoming Birthday Alexandria, VA – Alexandria’s “Cherry Challenge” culinary contest will kick off on February 1 with dozens of restaurants across the city competing to win by crafting their choice of a cherry-oriented appetizer, entrée, beverage, or dessert.
The “Cherry Challenge” is the first event of Alexandria’s annual George Washington Birthday celebration that culminates with the nation’s original and largest Washington Birthday Parade on Monday, February 21st.“This unique event helps generate buzz for Alexandria restaurants, encourages chefs to get creative, and boosts customer traffic,” said Kristen Eastlick, GW Birthday Celebration committee member and chair of the event. “The #GWCherryChallenge lets us offer a tasteful event that keeps George Washington's memory alive in his hometown.”
The 2022 competition will be contactless this year. Diners—whether dine-in or take-out—will receive QR codes to vote electronically for their favorite cherry entries based on three criteria: taste, presentation, and creativity. Diners will rate each item from one to three cherries for a maximum score of 9 on each ballot. Point totals for each dish are divided by the number of ballots to get the average score. The highest average in each category wins.
This year’s #GWCherryChallenge participant list includes Alexandria Pastry, Bastille, Cafe 44, Chadwicks, Cuates Grill Alexandria, Dishes of India, Lori's Table, RT's Restaurant, Sonoma Cellar, Village Brauhaus, Vaso’s Mediterranean Bistro, Whiskey and Oyster, and other restaurants listed at https://washingtonbirthday.com/cherry-challenge. More than 20 restaurants are expected to participate.Guests are encouraged to Tweet photos and descriptions of the cherry items they tasted by using the hashtag “#GWCherryChallenge” or by posting them to the George Washington Birthday Celebration’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeWashingtonsBirthdayCelebration
The George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC) is a city-appointed volunteer committee charged with coordinating events to celebrate the birthday of the first President and Alexandria native. Celebration events include the Parade, the Virtual Birthnight Banquet & Ball at Gadsby’s Tavern, the annual Friendship Firehouse breakfast, George Washington’s Alexandria’s walking tours, and more. For more information and a schedule for this year’s events, please visit www.washingtonbirthday.com. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, go to www.washingtonbirthday.com/birthday-parade-sponsorships or reach out to Tyler Vanice, GWBCC Chair at gwbirthdayevents@gmail.com or by phone at 703-582-3838.