updated for 2026-27
Fall comes bearing crisp weather, fall festivals, and pumpkin fever, but one precursor to autumn that we love around here is Wolf Trap's season announcement for its smaller, historic venue, The Barns. The popular local venue has released its first set of shows for the 2026-2027 season and the lineup does not disappoint.
Here are a handful of the plethora of shows we're excited about this season. Get the full lineup at www.wolftrap.org/barns. Tickets are now on sale and additional shows are likely to be added throughout the fall.
There's nothing like seeing a show at The Barns at Wolf Trap, as the space is comprised of two 18th-century barns that were reconstructed on this property after being found in upstate New York by Wolf Trap founder Catherine Filene Shouse. The intimate and rustic space is noted for its acoustics and historic charm. This season brings something new, too: a third historic barn. The Virginian Barn, which was relocated to the property this summer, adds roughly 2,500 square feet of flexible space, expanded restrooms, and upgraded kitchen facilities, giving guests more room for pre-show dining and post-show gatherings.
Holiday Tunes
Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas featuring Maggie O'Connor; image courtesy Wolf Trap Foundation
Get a jump on the holiday season with several festive shows at The Barns. Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas featuring Maggie O'Connor returns (November 18-19), and local legends Bob McDonald, Caleb Green, and D.C. Washington of DC Anthem Singers Shine celebrate the holidays with a night of seasonal sounds (November 22). Looking for something for the whole family? Michael Winograd and The Honorable Mentshn celebrate the second night of Hanukkah with a family-friendly show featuring dancing and donuts (December 5).
Pop/Rock/Indie
Jim Messina; courtesy Wolf Trap Foundation
Jim Messina joined by Orleans brings the band's Farewell Tour to The Barns (November 4), and regional favorites Cris Jacobs and Joe Pug team up for a special songwriters night (November 5). Newmyer Flyer pays homage to a legend with The Joni Mitchell Songbook (November 20), and bluegrass fiddle extraordinaries Jason Carter and Michael Cleveland take the stage (November 21).
2027 kicks off with 1964: The Tribute, which Rolling Stone called the "best Beatles tribute on earth" (January 15-16). Crowd pleaser Gabe Dixon returns on January 23. Then settle in for a five-night residency with The Del McCoury Band (January 28, 30, 31, February 2-3). Wolf Trap brings some of Nashville's rising stars back to Fairfax County for Nashville Emerging Artists Night (February 11-13). In the spring, catch A BandHouse Gigs Tribute to Van Morrison (April 2), the return of Grammy Award-nominee Joan Osborne (April 8) and an evening of storytelling and song with John McCutcheon (April 22).
Comedy, Broadway, & Audience Participation
Get ready for a unique performance with Puddles Pity Party, a seven-foot sad clown with a golden voice (February 15-16). Iconic comedy troupe The Second City is back with five nights of laughs (February 17-20). In March, award-winning stage and screen star Matthew Morrison shares his song and dance journey (March 18), followed by Jazz at Lincoln Center's Swinging Songs of Broadway featuring vocalists Kate Kortum and David Marino (March 19). In the spring, get double the laughs at the 38th Annual Evening of Comedy (April 23-24).
Cultural, World, & Instrumental Favorites
Red Baraat; courtesy Wolf Trap Foundation
Get ready to dance with Red Baraat, the North Indian Punjabi rhythm fusion party band (November 7), or hear Hawaiian falsetto vocalist Raiatea Helm (November 12). The New York Arabic Orchestra, co-produced by the Middle East Institute Arts and Culture Center and Abu Dhabi Festival, performs on December 4. Chart-topping instrumentalists Mariachi Herencia de México honor the legacy of Juan Gabriel (January 21-22), and Cuban musicians The Buena Vista Orchestra bring the sounds of Havana to Wolf Trap (February 23). Then, in partnership with District of Raga, join carnatic violin virtuoso L. Shankar for a night of enthralling East-West music, followed by string masters Derek Gripper and Alam Khan on March 5 for a night of cross-cultural musical collaboration, and finally a performance by singer and flutist Varijashree Venugopal (April 9).
Opera fans can watch the next generation of stars compete at The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (February 7). Witness the virtuosic guitar stylings on display at International Guitar Night (March 3-4). Eliane Elias honors the 100th birthday of Antônio Carlos Jobim (April 3), and fiddle superstar Eileen Ivers closes out the spring with her signature sound (April 10).
Chamber Music
Chamber Music at The Barns returns for another enchanting season, with Artistic Advisor Daniel Hope curating his second season at the venue. Hope kicks things off on November 1 alongside Maxim Lando for the first half of the two-part Gilded Age recital, and returns January 24 with Simon Crawford-Phillips for Part II. Other select performances include mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe with Ryan McCullough (December 6), Spanish guitarist Pablo Sainz-Villegas (February 5), Time for Three (February 14), Zukerman Trio Plays Beethoven (March 12), Berlin-based Leonkoro Quartet (April 18), and Mozart & Brahms: The Great Clarinet Quintets with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (April 25).
Tickets for all of these performances, as well as newly announced shows and additional venue information, can be found at wolftrap.org. Who are you most excited to see at The Barns at Wolf Trap this fall and spring? Tell us in the comments below and share your experiences with us on social media using #FXVA or @VisitFairfax.
