Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts

I learned of Wolf Trap after two of my daughters moved from Iowa to Virginia. It is a beautiful place to enjoy the arts. One of my daughters volunteers at Wolf Trap regularly and loves the variety of performances. I was privileged to get to see the final showing of "Peter Pan" and absolutely loved it. I always await the season's offerings to plan a trip to VA around the performances. Thank you, Wolf Trap staff

Wolf Trap has been a part of my life for over 35 years, providing entertainment and great experiences as a young single in D.C., young married couple, parents of children enjoying theater in the woods and birthday parties, and an empty-nester now with more free time for summers at Wolf Trap. I love the variety of artists and seating. Some shows are best lounging on the lawn and some sitting properly in a seat. We are so lucky to have Wolf Trap and all that it offers.

The breathtaking venue, diverse performance selection and overall experience is what keeps me coming back (driving over 3 hours) each time! The added bonus of the community give back only makes Wolf Trap all the more special to me. There is no other place like it in the Metro D.C/Maryland/Virginia area, a true gem.

Wolf Trap is a vital member of the arts community in the Washington area and we consider ourselves particularly lucky to live to close to it (we are in Reston). I can't remember a summer when we haven't attended wonderful programs at the Filene Center and, year round, at the Barns. But Wolf Trap does more than put on really cool shows that expand our artistic horizons--and are just plain delightful. It's a learning resource for the whole community. My ten-month-old granddaughter and my daughter are currently enrolled in the "baby arts" program, a really innovative idea designed to introduce babies to different facets of the performing arts, like clapping and shaking rattles to music. Our lives would be poorer without Wolf Trap. I can't say enough about it.

Wolf Trap rocks. From its stellar performing arts spaces -- both the Filene Center and the Barns -- to its arts education -- it offers outstanding entertainment and growth. I've seen first hand how their arts program connects with disadvantaged youth. Their programs with local teachers provide needed support, resulting in unique activites geared toward students in need.

Because of Wolf Trap's easy accessibility, low prices, and enormous spectrum of artistic presentations, our lives have been enriched far beyond what a middle class family might have expected. My family has been attending Wolf Trap presentations ever since it opened, and our appreciation of the arts has expanded enormously as a result. I had never seen a live ballet performance until, in the 1970s, Wolf Trap's advertising circulars persuaded me to attend not one but three different performances, along with unforgettable performances by Peter, Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio, and other iconic performers. We have been able to repeat these experiences every summer, plus orchestral, operatic, and musical theater performances that would be beyond our reach if we lived anywhere else. Checking off our choices for each summer is now an annual rite not unlike composing a Christmas wish list. Lately we have discovered The Barns' year-round menu of outstanding but normally inaccessible specialty performers like Cherish the Ladies. As an amateur performer myself, I have been impressed by WT's education and outreach programs, particularly the summer programs that introduce teens to opera and the outdoor children's shows that pack in pre-school and elementary school kids from the area's daycare centers and summer camps. That program alone deserves the support of area taxpayers and donors, because we all benefit when those around us are acquainted with the arts.

I attend Wolf Trap for the performances in the Barns and at the Filene Center. It is a great facility especially in the Summer on the lawns beneath the evening sky sharing a picnic with friends. What many people don't know about is the wonderful work Wolf Trap does in the early childhood arena, both in the US and internationally, and support of the arts. There should be "Wolf Traps" in every state.

Wolf Trap is the greatest place to see a show. I grew up in the area and have always loved going to a show early and picnicking on the lawn. They have a great variety of shows and ticket prices are affordable.

Wolf Trap is VERY committed to arts education and to making quality arts experiences accessible to everyone. They bring amazing acts to both The Barns (their indoor facility) and the Filene Center (their outdoor facility) and keep prices reasonable. $25 for lawn seats to almost any performance and you can bring your own picnic! Also, through their classes children and adults of every age can learn a new topic or can continue on with their previous learning. Wolf Trap is certainly working hard to continue to promote the arts in Virginia and in the U.S. in general.

You don't really realize how great Wolf Trap is until you are here. Parking is free, and they let you take your own food and drinks into the park, so it really cuts down on how much a night out will cost you. I would show up early, so you can 'rush' the lawn and claim a great spot, but once you're settled, you can relax, pull out your wine and crackers, and just enjoy the great summer environment before the show starts.

Many people know about the great performances that The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts offers during the summer season where families can bring picnics to the lawn and watch artists on the Filene Center Stage. I've recently joined Wolf Trap as an employee and hope that people will take time to learn about the many other great programs and services that the organization provides, including an internationally-acclaimed early childhood arts education institute, a Grammy-nominate opera company, an internahip program that has been ranked one of the best places to intern by BusinessWeek and year-long performances in The Barns in an intimate setting.