Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia, has been around for over 50 years and continues to be one of the premiere venues for outdoor entertainment.
During the pandemic, Wolf Trap had to cancel its season for the first time. A venue in partnership with the National Park Service, the board of the Wolf Trap Foundation used that time to accelerate some of their new ideas.
“We started a multi-year period of renewal. The first thing we did was to build a series of outdoor pavilions to enhance the park’s beauty,” said Arvind Manocha, president and CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation. “In the first round of improvements, we made an effort to dramatically enhance the experience for the artists who come here”
Visitors will see upgrades to the picnic and concession area at Wolf Trap. The concession counters have new menu items that will appeal to any palate.
Guests can have fun hanging out before performances when they bring their own baskets of goodies with food and beverages, and there are tables and benches are on the backside of the concession area. Further, the well-kept grounds are also perfect for spreading out a blanket or bringing your own seating.
The Best Summer Night Entertainment
Wolf Trap recently featured three top music acts from the 1990s through the early 2000s.
It was a “ladies night” featuring TLC, En Vogue, and Jody Watley. Chilling on the lawn or staying in your seat was not an option for this concert.
En Vogue performs at Wolf Trap. (Courtesy photo)
Watley sang hits like “Looking for a New Love” and “Real Love,” and she looked and sounded great. It was a surprise when she said at the end of her set that she had not felt well, but it was not clear to the crowd. The singer, who also has a radio show on SiriusXM, was a trooper performing through her health challenges, and the audience showed their appreciation.
High-powered and pitch-perfect is the way to describe En Vogue’s performance. The group consists of original members Cindy Herron-Braggs and Terry Ellis, as well as Rhona Bennett.
It felt like En Vogue sang their entire catalog, with the biggest crowd-pleasers being “Hold On,” their first hit release, and “Free Your Mind,” which included graphics and production quality that showed the audience that the song is still relevant today.
The group sang an extended medley of songs by other artists from the 1960’s to today. It was one of the best house party mixes, and the crowd was up the entire time.
Headliners TLC rounded out the evening with Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas. The late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes was there in sound and spirit as her vocal tracks were included for some of the group’s hits, such as “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.”
With four male dancers, a DJ, the band members and the group’s exciting performance, TLC kept the dance party atmosphere going.
The Entertainment Continues
Wolf Trap’s summer season continues with “Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods” events and concerts such as the National Symphony Orchestra performing “Star Wars: A New Hope Concert” and “Ghostbusters in Concert.” Other celebrated artists are also scheduled to perform live at Wolf Trap this summer, including Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello, Black Pumas, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and the opening act, jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant.
For ticket information, visit the Wolf Trap website at wolftrap.org.
