Hot new performing acts, world-class museums, improv comedy, plays with a social justice bent, and murder mysteries to solve? Don’t tell us there’s nothing to do tonight.
Live Music Venue
Winner
Wolf Trap
Is there any music venue with more diverse offerings than Wolf Trap? This season’s events range from Boy George & The Culture Club to Belle and Sebastian to a performance of La Traviata. Enjoy them all alfresco and without making a trip to the big city. 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna
Runner-Up
The Birchmere
Whether it’s big names from the past like Jose Feliciano and Debbie Gibson, tribute acts, or new and emerging bands, there’s bound to be something to attract you to “America’s legendary music hall.” Fifty-six years in action have more than proven this venue’s staying power. 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria
Outdoor Concert Space
Winner
Wolf Trap
This multipurpose outdoor theater is part of the National Park System. The 117-acre property is home to more than 100 performances every summer. Bring your own food and drinks for an elegant picnic on the grassy hill overlooking the stage, or buy a charcuterie or cheese board on site for a feast as grand as the entertainment. 1551 Trap Rd., Vienna
Runner-Up
Jiffy Lube Live
Imagine Dragons, The Chicks, and Jimmy Buffett are just a few of the big names appearing at this amphitheater this summer. With seating for 25,000, singing along to Rob Zombie or Alice in Chains is a shared experience on a massive scale hard to find anywhere else in the DMV, let alone Northern Virginia. 7800 Cellar Door Dr., Bristow
Stand-Up Comedy
Winner
Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
There are movie screenings here (The Blues Brothers is playing this month as part of Bluesfest Weekend), but comedy shows are the theater’s bread and butter. The performers include everyone from Saturday Night Live cast members to local acts. Just be prepared to eat, drink, and be merry. 2903 Columbia Pk., Arlington
Runner-Up
Capital One Hall
Names like Whitney Cummings, David Spade, and Rob Schneider are no strangers to the stage at this brand-new venue. With less than a year in operation, the Tysons theater is bound to make itself known as a top-flight comedy house in our region. 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons
Theater House
Winner
Signature Theatre
Show your Sondheim-geek pride with some swag from the gift shop, and then venture into the black box theater, configured specially for the production you’re about to see. This summer, it will be The Color Purple, a soulful, Tony Award–winning musical based on the famous novel and film, starring Broadway performer Felicia Curry. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington
Runner-Up
Capital One Hall
It’s exciting just to be seated in this sleek new theater, which is modeled on Broadway theaters of the 1920s and ’30s, updated for today. Then, music fills the sharply sloped room, where 1,600 people at once take in classic musicals and new compositions alike, all in modern comfort. 7750 Capital One Tower Rd., Tysons
Feature image by Christopher Mueller
This story originally ran in our June issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
