Wolf Trap’s Out & About Festival Returns: More Music, More Good Vibes

May 30, 2024

Break out the colorful festival ’fits and fanny packs and gather your friends and family! Out & About—the vibrant, one-day, three-stage festival celebrating music, nature, and Pride at Wolf Trap—is back for its second year.

Featuring a dynamic lineup of LGBTQ+ artists and allies, Out & About is made for everyone to connect with nature and community. Enjoy the day your way by playing games in the Meadow, relaxing in the beer garden, snapping pics with stunning flower displays by Merrifield Garden Center, and picking up fun bites and beverages on your way to exciting musical performances.

Read on to see what to expect at Out & About!

Three Stages, Lots to Explore

All afternoon, sets will alternate between the Meadow and Woods Stages before the night ends at the iconic Filene Center.

Groove with Be Steadwell, Okan, and Lawrence in the airy, open space of the Meadow Stage. While DC’s Be Steadwell captivates with innovative looping, beatboxing, and vocal layering, Afro-Cuban jazz duo Okan and soul-pop band Lawrence are known for throwing high-energy, dance-inducing celebrations.

Venture past the Meadow and into the woods for even more music! Tucked into the trees, the Woods Stage (which normally hosts Wolf Trap’s Children’s Theatre) has a majestic, “forestcore” feel. Its intimate environment is perfect to experience Yasmin Williams’ intricate acoustic fingerstyle guitar playing and Quinn Christopherson’s poignant, nature and identity-focused lyrics.

Before the sun sets, make your way to the Filene Center for unbelievable performances by avant-garde pop/punk artiste Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and indie rocker Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley, The Postal Service). Whether you’re watching from the lawn or the covered seating area, the grand finale—soulful guitar extraordinaire Brittany Howard—is sure to end the night on a high note.

Eat It Up!

No festival is complete without food and drinks! During the day, you’ll find options galore around the Meadow:

• Sample new fare at the Meadow Commons. This summer’s menu items include a vegan Mediterranean Bowl, Mango Lime Quinoa Salad, Fish & Chips, and more. Pair it with sips of alcoholic or zero proof cocktails!

• Grab and go from food trucks. Rito Loco makes mouth-watering burritos and bowls, The Big Cheese serves up gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, and Captain Cookie & the Milk Man offers the mix-and-match ice cream cookie sandwiches of your dreams.

• Get your drink fix. Even more drinks are available from Starr Hill Brewery and Caboose Brewing Company. What could be better than trying their specialty crafted glitter beer while lounging in the beer garden?

Once the Filene Center opens, you’re welcome to top up your cup and get more snacks at the Meadow Commons and Concessions stand at the top of the Plaza. If you have seats in the covered area, please keep in mind that food is not allowed and drinks must be in lidded Wolf Trap Cups.

As with all Wolf Trap performances, you can also BYO food and drinks (including alcohol) to enjoy on the picnic terraces overlooking the Meadow or on the lawn and Plaza once the Filene Center opens. If bringing a cooler, make sure it’s under 18” x 16” x 12” or 48 quarts.

Join the Fun Early in the Meadow!

Beyond the music and food, there are tons of activities in store for a fun-filled day!

Look out for games, freebies, and booths by community partners and get involved! Friendly faces from SMYAL, PFLAG, Capital Pride Alliance, Virginia Tourism, League of Women Voters, and more will line the Meadow. You may even spot WAMU’s Esther Ciammachilli and members of the Washington Spirit wandering around!

Check out Equality Virginia’s art installation and the gorgeous floral displays courtesy of Merrifield Garden Center. Flowerpots and multiple flower trucks will be scattered throughout the Park for picture-perfect backdrops. Or pop over to the Shade Garden for a calming little escape in nature.

Starr Hill Brewery is breaking out its lawn games, and DC Fray is bringing their super-sized sports activities, plus mega Jenga, to the Meadow for plenty of friendly competition and laughs.

Later, follow the energetic beats of Batalá Washington—DC’s all-women Afro Brazilian percussion line—over to the Filene Center. Another DC favorite, Les The DJ, warms up the house for the Filene Center artists.

Thank you to Festival sponsor Deloitte and media sponsor WAMU for helping make this special day possible!

Don’t miss out on the Festival of the summer! Tickets for Out & About are still available at wolftrap.org/outandabout.