Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts hosts a wide range of concerts including pop, country, folk and blues, orchestra, dance, opera. Wolf Trap hosts shows and offers educational programs throughout the year in three performance venues: the Outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods, both located in Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the street from the national park and next to the Education Center at Wolf Trap.
Educational programs include a wide variety of art classes, scholarships, and a nationally recognized internship program. See photos of the wolf trap
Filene Center
Filene Center is a 7,000-seat concert hall that is ideal for summer concerts. The seats are concealed with open sides that overlook the park’s hills. The garden seating provides an area where clients can relax and enjoy picnics before and during the presentation. In addition to concerts, the Filene Center is a venue for a variety of educational programs, artist master classes, special events, and a Holiday Sing-A-Long.
Doors open an hour and a half before all performances. You are allowed to bring your own food and drink and chairs are allowed on the lawn (although you will be asked to sit in the back so it will not impair the view of other customers).
Lawn seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, and performances take place rain or shine.
The barns
Two 18th century barns serve as a unique venue for year-round indoor concerts with first-class acoustics. The largest barn accommodates 284 people on the main level and 98 in the hayloft. The smaller barn serves as a reception area. The Barns at Wolf Trap is a fabulous place to enjoy jazz, bluegrass, chamber music, folk, comedy, cabaret, and country music. Attend a summer presentation of the Wolf Trap Opera Company. Doors open 30 minutes before each performance. Barns are also rented out for meetings, conferences, and private parties.
See the schedule of performances
Children’s theater in the forest
Special performances for families are held from late June to early August at 10:30 am Tuesday through Saturday. Music, dance, storytelling, puppets, and plays are aimed at school-age children. Ticket prices range from $ 8 to $ 10 and children under two years are free. Advance purchase of tickets is recommended as many performances sell out. National Park Service Park Rangers lead nature walks after most Theater-in-the-Woods performances.
Wolf Trap Education Center
In 2003, Wolf Trap opened a state-of-the-art educational facility to host rehearsals, workshops, children’s classes, master classes, meetings, and training sessions. Educational programs include the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts, the nationally acclaimed Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods, a wide range of arts education classes, scholarships, and a recognized internship program at Nacional level.
Tickets
Tickets for Wolf Trap performances can be purchased through the Wolf Trap box office, by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP or online at www.wolftrap.org. For an updated schedule, visit their website.
How to get to the wolf trap
The park is located at 1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, VA. It’s about 20 minutes from downtown Washington, DC. The Wolf Trap Express Bus runs from the West Falls Church subway stop every 20 minutes, starting two hours before show time.
Driving Directions from Capital Beltway (I-495):Â Take Exit 45A to Route 267 West (Dulles Toll Road) to Dulles Airport, Exit State Route 676 / Trap Rd., Turn right onto Trap Rd. Filene Center will be on the right.
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Food and drink attendees are welcome and encouraged to bring their own food and drink, including alcoholic beverages. Wolf Trap’s OVATIONS restaurant includes an elaborate buffet, as well as four gourmet picnic baskets that are available for pickup before the show. For more details, visit www.wolftrap.org/dining. All coolers and bags, regardless of size, will be inspected prior to entering the Filene Center. Coolers must be 15 “x 15” x 22 “(48 quarts) or smaller. All other bags must be 14 “x 13” x 10 “or smaller.
Summer 2016 Performance Highlights
- Celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial with monumental acts including Paul Simon, Ray LaMontagne, the American Ballet Theater featuring Romeo and Juliet , and Bonnie Raitt
- Wolf Trap premieres include indie, folk-rock and soul artists: Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Lord Huron, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lake Street Dive , Sufjan Stevens , Leon Bridges and more.
- The Wolf Trap Foundation co-commissions the world premiere production of The Firebird , a multi-arts experience established for Stravinsky’s score created by Janni Younge of South Africa’s acclaimed Handspring Puppet Company , with the National Symphony Orchestra.
- Legendary artists include Tony Bennett, “Queen of Bollywood” Asha Bhosle on her farewell tour, The Silk Road Project with Yo-Yo Ma and Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
- Revisit the ’80s and’ 90s with pop icons Cyndi Lauper and Boy George ; Barenaked ladies ; Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with Melissa Etheridge; Goo Goo Dolls; and the I Love the 90s tour with Salt-N-Pepa with Spinderella
- The Wolf Trap Opera season presents a new production of La bohème de Puccini at the Filene Center
- The Summer Residence of the National Symphony Orchestra features the pianist Yuja Wang; America the Beautiful , a concert in honor of the National Parks; and various other programs
- Beloved radio personality Garrison Keillor makes final Wolf Trap appearances as host of A Prairie Home Companion
- Flight of the Conchords brings their hoarse and long-awaited reunion tour to Wolf Trap
- Rock and country classics include Kenny Rogers on his farewell tour, Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy , The Band Perry, Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris, Chicago and Bryan Adams.
- Musicals, dance, and film include the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime and Riverdance’s 20th Anniversary World Tour; The National Symphony Orchestra joins a special 35th anniversary screening of Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark and DreamWorks Animation in Concert
Learn more about Washington DC entertainment
- Summer Theater in Washington DC
- Free Summer Concerts in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia
- Top 10 concert venues in Washington DC
- Best of Live Music Clubs in Northern Virginia
- Jazz clubs in the Washington DC area
