Photo courtesy of Vadim Ponomarenko/Adobe Stock
By Savannah Behrmann, Koo Hwangbo, Juliane Kim, Sophie Reardon, Katherine Rohloff
On summer weekends when you can’t get away to distant vacation locales, you can still escape by submerging yourself in the sounds of your favorite music acts. While the DMV is home to countless concert venues, there’s something particularly special about spending warm summer nights at the region’s biggest amphitheaters, where you can sing along while stretched out on the lawn or pack in with hundreds of other fans to dance the night away. Before you grab tickets to hear your favorite song of the summer live, find everything you need to know about the area’s largest concert venues right here.
EagleBank Arena
4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax
EagleBank Arena, formerly known as The Patriot Center, is a 10,000-seat indoor arena located on the campus of George Mason University. Along with hosting Mason basketball games, EagleBank has been home to entertainers like the Harlem Globetrotters, Bruce Springsteen and Keith Urban. –KH
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Directions: EagleBank Arena is located on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University, 6 miles west of the Beltway. Take the exit for Route 620 and then drive for several miles before turning right on to Roanoke River Road.
Parking: Parking fees for most events are included with the ticket price.
Seating: In addition to the stadium seating, floor seating is available for select events.
Food and Drink: EagleBank Arena provides numerous concessions, including Paisano’s Pizza, Chick-fil-A and more.
What Not to Bring: Alcohol and video cameras are prohibited.
Photo courtesy of Echostage/Glow DC
Echostage
2135 Queens Chapel Road NE, Washington, D.C.
With a 6,000-person capacity, Echostage is one of the biggest clubs in the DMV, and it has become a popular venue for electrifying EDM, dubstep and hip hop concerts. –SB
Tickets: You can buy tickets on Echostage’s website. The venue often announces set times on its Facebook page on the day of concerts.
Directions: Echostage is accessible by way of the Metro. Simply take the line closest to you, transfer to the Red line and get off at NoMa station. From there, Echostage provides a free shuttle service to and from the venue.
Parking: If you decide to drive to Echostage, you can pay to use one of several nearby parking lots. Find locations and prices on Echostage’s website.
Seating: General admission tickets give concertgoers access to the warehouse-like first floor where they can dance the night away. The second floor offers a chic, modern V.I.P. area with table service. Seats can be reserved online.
Food and Drink: Drinks can be found at one of the two 60-foot bars on the first floor. If you have a reservation at one of the V.I.P. tables, you can select from Echostage’s extensive bottle menu.
What to Bring: On chillier nights, feel free to bring a jacket and leave it at the coat check for $5 per item.
Jiffy Lube Live
7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow
Jiffy Lube Live is one of the largest outdoor amphitheaters in the D.C. metro area. It’s drawn a variety of artists spanning many genres, including Luke Bryan, Aerosmith, Lana Del Rey and J. Cole. –KH
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased at Jiffy Lube’s website, or you can visit the box office Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you choose to pick up your tickets at will call, that can only be done about four hours before show time. You must bring your ticket confirmation number and a photo I.D.
Directions: Taking a taxi or Uber to Jiffy Lube Live may be preferable to driving due to long lines and traffic congestion upon entering and exiting the venue. If you do decide to brave traffic, hop on I-66 west to Exit 43B. Then follow the Pavilion signs on to Route 29 North. Continue on to University Boulevard before taking a left on Wellington. Jiffy Lube is on the right.
Parking: Regular parking is free, and Premiere parking can be purchased for $35.
Tailgating: Tailgating is encouraged at Jiffy Lube Live provided that all rules and regulations are followed. The complete list of tailgating rules can be found here.
Seating: Seats are available on the floor, lawn or V.I.P. boxes.
Food and Drink: Jiffy Lube Live provides a variety of concessions. Food can also be brought into the venue so long as its packaged in a clear, gallon-sized plastic bag. No beverages (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) are allowed except for a single sealed bottle of water.
What to Bring: Umbrellas, blankets and lawn chairs.
What Not to Bring: Alcohol, coolers and video cameras.
Photo courtesy of Pavel Losevsky/Adobe Stock
Merriweather Post Pavilion
10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD
Merriweather Post Pavilion is an outdoor venue that draws musicians ranging in style and genre from The Cure all the way to Miranda Lambert. The Pavilion also puts on events such as the Summer Spirit Festival, a two-day affair featuring Janella Monae, The Roots and Erykah Badu. –JK
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased in person from the Merriweather Post Pavilion box office, which is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can also be bought online through Ticketfly or by phone at 1-877-4FLY-TIX. Those requiring mobility accessible seating should call the aforementioned number to get tickets or buy tickets in person. Visitors requiring hearing or visually accessible seating requirements should call 410-715-5550 for tickets. Children under the age of 2 years old can attend most shows for free when accompanied by an adult.
Directions: Follow I-495 North toward Baltimore. Take exit 30A to merge onto US-29 North toward Columbia and then take exit 18A-18B to merge on to Broken Land Parkway. From Broken Land Parkway, turn right onto Divided Sky Lane and the pavilion will be on the left.
Parking: There is free on-site parking at the pavilion.
Seating: Lawn chairs and small blankets are allowed for most shows, but there are times when only lawn chairs with no legs are permitted. Hearing, visually and mobility accessible seating is available.
Food and Drink: The pavilion sells concessions and drinks such as water, soda, kettle corn, pretzels and hot dogs. For more substantial fare, the menu also has subs, sandwiches and wraps and a variety of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages such as energy drinks, assorted wines and imported beer.
What to Bring: Bring sun protection such as sunscreen, sunglasses and hats. In case of rain, bring raincoats or ponchos, umbrellas and waterproof shoes for walking on muddy grass. Each concertgoer is allowed one empty or sealed water bottle.
What Not to Bring: Prohibited items include bottles, cans, coolers, outside beverages, baskets, cameras, recording devices, laser pointers, selfie sticks and lightable tobacco products such as cigarettes. Alcohol, grills and glass containers are not permitted in parking areas.
The Verizon Center
601 F Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Since opening in 1997, the Verizon Center, formerly known as the MCI Center, has been home to the Washington Capitals, the Wizards and the Mystics and hosted an array of high-profile concerts and events, most recently including Disney Live!, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Sting and Peter Gabriel. –SR
Tickets: Visitors can find printable tickets on the Verizon Center website, which will redirect you to Ticketmaster, or at the Verizon Center’s box office. The box office is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. if there is an event that day. Visitors can also call 1-800-745-3000 for ticket information. Children over 3 years old are required to have their own ticket.
Directions:
- Follow I-95 North toward Washington
- Take the I-395 North exit toward Washington
- As the road splits when approaching the 14th Street bridge, bear left on to US-1 and follow to 14th Street bridge
- Cross over the 14th Street bridge and stay on 14th Street Northwest
- Make a right turn on to Constitution Avenue Northwest
- Turn left onto Seventh Street Northwest and Verizon Center will be on the corner of F and Seventh streets
Metro: Take the Metro to the Gallery Place-Chinatown station (Red, Yellow and Green lines), which is directly located at Verizon Center. Judiciary Square (Red line), Metro Center (Red, Orange and Blue lines) and Archives-Navy Memorial Penn Quarter (Green and Yellow lines) are within walking distance.
Parking: Visitors can use a parking lot located under the Verizon Center that costs $30. They can also use nearby public parking garages.
Seating: The Verizon Center is stadium seating with floor seats available for concerts.
Food and Drink: The Verizon Center has many concession stands that offer kosher, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Visitors can also expect to find alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages available for purchase. The Verizon Center also recommends eating at a restaurant in the surrounding neighborhood of Chinatown/Penn Quarter. No outside food or drinks are allowed.
What Not to Bring: Food, drinks, coolers, recording devices, strollers (they must be checked), pets (unless it’s a service animal), cigarettes or cigars
Photo courtesy of Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap Park
1635 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182
Enjoy the beauty of the outdoors at this rustic performance venue in the heart of Northern Virginia. With three stages, multiple eating areas, a restaurant and tailgating options, Wolf Trap Park provides the perfect getaway for you, your friends and your family to watch your favorite shows this summer. –KR
Tickets: Tickets can be bought either online, ordered over the phone at 877-965-3872 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily or purchased in person at one of the two on-site box offices. The Filene Center Box Office is located at 1551 Trap Road and is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekends and holidays from noon to 5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on performance days. The second box office for The Barns at Wolf Trap is located at 1635 Trap Road and is only open on performance days starting two hours prior to the performance and closing at 9 p.m.
Everyone must have a ticket unless he or she is 2 years old or younger and is attending a Theatre-in-the-Woods production. All ticket sales are final, but refunds are distributed after concert cancellations. Tickets can be upgraded or exchanged at least 24 hours before the performance date if you are willing to pay the difference in cost.
Directions: One way to get to Wolf Trap is by taking the Metro on the Orange Line to the West Falls Church station. From there, you can get to Filene Center via the Wolf Trap Express Shuttle, which is operated by the Fairfax Connector. This $5 bus ride begins two hours prior to any Filene summer performance showtime and will then run every 20 minutes until the show starts. For the way back, the bus departs from Wolf Trap starting 20 minutes after the show and goes until 11 p.m.
You can also choose to Uber to your show. If you use the code “WOLFTRAP,” you get $20 off your first ride. Or you can drive to Wolf Trap, which is only 3 miles from the Beltway, and get free parking at any of the venue’s lots.
Tailgating: Since Wolf Trap is a national park, the parking lot is open all day, so you can start tailgating as early as you would like. However, no grills or any type of open flame are allowed.
Seating: Most performances at Wolf Trap have assigned seating unless stated otherwise. The Filene Center and The Barns have seating charts on the Wolf Trap website.
The Filene Center seats over 3,800 people and expands out on to the lawn, allowing an additional 3,200 seats on a first-come, first-served basis. Space on the lawn depends on how crowded the concert is, but it’s equipped with its own sound system and massive screens projecting films or videos during certain events to ensure an excellent experience. The gates to the park open 90 minutes before showtime, and concertgoers tend to start lining up before that time in order to grab prime spots on the lawn.
The main floor of The Barns has been cleared for dancing, lending the remaining seats for spectators on the upper balcony, which is filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Theatre-in-the-Woods amphitheater is home to performances geared toward children. Its bleacher-like seating can be filled by general admission tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.
What to Bring: One of the things that makes Wolf Trap a unique venue is that you can bring food and any alcoholic or nonalcoholic drinks and consume them on either the lawn of the Filene Center or in any of the picnic areas. You can also bring a lawn chair, legless beach chair or any chair rented from the Wolf Trap Gift Shop on to the Filene Center lawn in the designated section in the back. You may also bring seat cushions with back support and sit anywhere on the lawn. And if you want to take a picture to remember the night, you are permitted to bring a camera and use it before the performance; however, you cannot take video or audio recordings. Bags and coolers are permitted, but they will be subject to inspection and size limitations.
Food and Drink: Dine before your show at the Filene Center’s restaurant, Ovations, where you will have a view of Wolf Trap Park’s picturesque rolling hills. This buffet-style eatery offers many options of Northern Virginia tastes such as Neyla Mediterranean Bistro at Reston Town Center and Georgia Brown’s restaurant in Northwest D.C. This venue opens two and a half hours before your show and, if desired, can give you a picnic-to-go complete with wine, beer or cocktails if you want to eat out on the lawn or a picnic table. Wolf Trap also offers a concessions stand featuring a vast array of foods for any type of craving including ice cream, spirits and the The Howlin’ Wolf nacho meal.