Sting, Beach Boys, James Taylor, Wynonna Judd: Wolf Trap Summer 2026 Concerts Announced

VIENNA, VA — Virginia concertgoers are counting down the days until summer concerts again fill the air at Wolf Trap's outdoor amphitheater.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts has announced performances for summer 2026, expanding a season with an extended National Symphony Orchestra residency plus additional concerts, films, and family-friendly performances, including Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods. These new performances will go on sale Friday, March 20.

Explore the full lineup of Wolf Trap's 2026 Summer performances announced to date here. More performances will be announced later this spring.

On June 9, a one-night-only event, Songwriters Celebrate John Prine honors John Prine’s musical contributions and lasting impact on American song. The lineup brings together Prine friends and collaborators, Emmylou Harris, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, I'm With Her, Lucius, Allison Russell, Hayes Carll, Jobi Riccio, Fancy Hagood, and Tommy Prine, all backed by John Prine’s band performing Prine’s music and their own songs. Created in partnership with the Prine Family, Songwriters Celebrate John Prine is part of Wolf Trap’s America250 series.

This summer’s lineup presents award-winning, world-class artists with musical styles that resonate across generations. The 2026 season features:

• Three nights with Sting (May 21-23) to kick off summer.
• Legendary female artists, including country-rock music greats Melissa Etheridge + Wynonna Judd (June 24) and the haunting sounds and lyrical prowess of Tori Amos (July 22).
• Chicago’s Hip Hop guru Chance the Rapper (Aug. 1).
• National Symphony Orchestra’s music director, Gianandrea Noseda, leads the NSO in Beethoven’s monumental Ninth Symphony (Aug. 14) and as part of the America250 series, presents the new musical-visual work American Mosaic (Aug. 15).
• The NSO also presents evenings with alt-rocker St. Vincent (June 25); multi-instrumentalist bandleader Jon Batiste (Aug 21); and folk fan-favorite Gregory Alan Isakov (Aug 26).
• Titan of Mexican regional music, Pepe Aguilar (July 12).
• Guitar virtuosos including the legendary SATCHVAI Band featuring Joe Satriani and Steve Vai (May 30) on their first US tour; experimental sensation Gary Clark Jr. with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (June 6); and soulful blues performers Joe Bonamassa + Gov’t Mule (July 29).
• A night of elevated vibes with the soulful grooves of Thee Sacred Souls with LA LOM and The Womack Sisters (Sept. 17).
• The return of audience favorites including five performances of the special anniversary tour with RIVERDANCE 30 (June 26-28); high-octane funk Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with the iconic Mavis Staples and country-soul stars The War & Treaty (July 18); the breezy smooth performance of Yacht Rock Revue (Aug 16); flamenco phenoms Gipsy Kings (Aug 23); three nights of James Taylor & His All-Star Band (Aug 30, Sep 1 + 2); Ray LaMontagne (Sep 13); and bluegrass rockers The Avett Brothers (Sep 18 + 19).
• Pop hitmakers and new wave pioneers The Human League with Soft Cell and Alison Moyet (June 30); and violinist dancer Lindsey Stirling with PVRIS (July 14).
• Impeccable country chart toppers, including the masked outlaw Orville Peck (June 14); Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country & Molly Tuttle (July 1); bluegrass crossover sensation Alison Krauss & Union Station (July 16 + 17); and the soulful sounds of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (July 30).
• California indie favorites Young the Giant with Cold War Kids and almost monday (June 12); indie folk stars The Head and the Heart (July 26); and the renowned Blues Traveler + Gin Blossoms (Aug 12).
• Family-friendly performances with The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA (Aug 8); and movies under the stars with the National Symphony Orchestra performing Disney’s The Little Mermaid (July 11) and Hook in Concert (Sep 5).
• The America250 series also includes BLAST OFF! with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band (May 24); the timeless sounds of The Beach Boys (June 7); Broadway in the Park with Signature Theatre (June 20); legendary performer Harry Connick Jr. (July 3); husband-wife blues-rock duo Tedeschi Trucks Band (Aug 28 + 29); and the Philadelphia Ballet’s Stars and Stripes Forever! (Sep 10), complemented by pre-performance talks and activations celebrating music’s vital role in America’s story.
• Wolf Trap Opera’s rising stars bring three operas to life this summer:
  • Rossini’s sparkling comedy La Cenerentola (Cinderella) follows two diamond bracelets instead of a slipper amongst a whirlwind of joyful musical chaos (June 18, 21, 25 + 27; The Barns at Wolf Trap).
  • Tchaikovsky’s passionate Eugene Onegin, based on Pushkin’s novel in verse and retaining much of the poetry, is a story of unrequited love and the intensity of missed moments (July 17, 19, 23 + 25; The Barns at Wolf Trap).
  • A grand Filene Center production of Puccini’s electrifying melodrama, Tosca (Aug 7).

Additional Wolf Trap Summer 2026 performances include:

• Salon Series performance with Grammy-winning baritone and Wolf Trap Opera’s 2026 Filene Artist in Residence Will Liverman (June 3)
• Contemporary Christian/pop music star Lauren Daigle (June 11)
• Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long (June 13)
• Enduring experimental alt-country band Wilco (June 18)
• A UK invasion with Squeeze and Adam Ant (Sept. 3)
• A night of legendary classic rock with John Fogerty and Steve Winwood (Sept. 15)

As the summer home of the National Symphony Orchestra for 55 years, Wolf Trap builds on the partnership with an extended residency.

As part of Wolf Trap’s America250, audiences will experience the Washington, D.C. premiere of Symphony No. 5 “Liberty” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Wynton Marsalis. This musical storytelling is marshalled by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the National Symphony Orchestra and was co-commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Alongside previously announced NSO performances, new Summer 2026 shows include:

• Josh Groban (Aug 22).
• A.R. Rahman conducted by Steven Reineke (July 10).
• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert conducted by Emil de Cou (July 9).
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneTM in Concert conducted by Steven Reineke (Aug 27).
• Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration featuring Melvin Seals, Jacklyn LaBranch, Tom Hamilton, Grahame Lesh, and Kanika Moore (Sept. 4).
• The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis conducted by James Gaffigan (Sept. 12).

Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods is a summer adventure set in the woods of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. This daytime series introduces children to music, dance, puppetry, storytelling, and multicultural performances from June to August, featuring 35 performances and 21 artists. .

CTITW performances this summer include:

• Ms. Rachel collaborator Jules! (June 20 + 21)
• West African drummers and dancers Soul In Motion (June 25)
• The return of The Amazing Max (June 26-28)
• Polynesian music and dance of Meki’s Tamure Arts Group (July 8)
• The multi-sensory and inclusive Omnium Circus (July 15 and 16)

Summer camps, birthday parties, play dates, and more are welcome to join in on the fun and benefit from group discounts. View the complete list of CTITW offerings here.

The 2026 Filene Center season is made possible through a public/private partnership between the nonprofit Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and the National Park Service.

A complete calendar of performances announced to date is available at wolftrap.org/calendar.

Ticketing and On Sale Information

• Wolf Trap members (donors of $100 and up) have access to presales. For more information on becoming a member, visit wolftrap.org/membership.
• Tickets for 2026 summer performances go on sale to the public on Friday, March 20 at 10 AM at wolftrap.org
• Ticket prices vary by performance and are subject to change. See detailed performance listings online at Wolf Trap’s website calendar.
• Groups of 10 or more get access to ticket discounts for select performances.
• Reservations are now open for Wolf Trap’s on-site restaurant, Ovations at Wolf Trap.

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