Carter Barron Amphitheatre

What a gem of an outdoor venue located in one of the most picturesque settings in DC, Rock Creek Park! It’s a really chill location and is deep enough in the woods to provide tranquility while still providing awesome acoustics. A range of musical acts come here– this past Saturday I visited for the DC Blues Festival– in addition to hosting outdoor movies and theater performances. Most (if not all) of the events are free to boot! For the Blues Festival, they had the concession stand open that was serving beer, wine, and food items. Wine was $ 5 for one of those individual bottles you can get for $ 1.50 at CVS, but that’s pretty typical for alcohol markup. Beer was around the same price, however options beyond Stella (which sold out rather quickly) were Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, and Budweiser, so pretty limited to say the least. I didn’t get any food but saw chicken tenders, hot dogs, soft pretzels (the usual suspects) leaving the pick-​up window. Bathrooms were“meh” and the line was very long (at least for the women’s room), but again, you kinda expect that at a concert or festival venue. Word to the wise– not metro accessible! We made the mistake of deciding to take the metro, which resulted in a 3 mile walk for us from Woodley Park. While the walk was very scenic (much of it was through the park), a good portion was through the front yards of people’s homes since there were no sidewalks. I highly recommend driving, however, I imagine parking can be a beast! Although the summer season is done, I highly recommend checking out this venue next season to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Rock Creek Park.

I discovered this gem while volunteering for the DC Blues Society.
What an amazing venue. With all the budget cuts to our parks and arts programs I am amazed it is still alive.
Check out a show and support this beautiful location!

The Carter Barron has not been good lately. They used to have the best soul and jazz concerts. Lately, they have been very lazy with the schedule. I am very disappointed this year because they have not announced anything. I am changing my two stars to one.

Great outdoor venue. Huge, and just enough into the woods to be isolated and quiet. Went to see a free recent movie, which is apparently a recurring event during the summer. Why pay for a theater ticket when this was free? I actually wish they did more things here; it seems like this place is underutilized.
Bathrooms are limited; they have a few picnic tables inside the grounds that are outside of the amphitheater if you want to eat. Parking is easy enough but you do have to drive, bike, walk, or find a bus as the Metro is not nearby. It’s worth the trip.

Two nights of FREE outdoor movies for the whole family to enjoy on Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24. Come to the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival and see The Avengers on Friday and Oz: The Great and Powerful on Saturday. No tickets required. First come, first served.

One of my favorite places in DC. A gem. Nothing like listening to music while you’re sitting outside in the summer under a gorgeous tall canopy of trees, feeling like you’re in the middle of the woods when you’re really in the middle of a city.
If only we could get it open more of the year beyond the summer. And bring Shakespeare in the Park (or some plays) back.
Also, beware: if you go outside of musical or show events, it seems like this parking lot is a favorite spot for parents to take teenagers to learn to drive. Perhaps one of the most dangerous spots in the city if you’re not paying attention?:)

I love summer concerts here.
The good:
— It’s a really chill environment.
— Sound quality is great.
— They redid the entire seating area a few years ago so the seats are not your typical park seating. They’re comfortable and don’t have splinters. (lol)
— Most events range from free to cheap.
— Park Service police officers now allow you to take pictures (or at least that’s what I saw).
The bad:
— There aren’t a lot of restrooms though so the lines are long.
— Since it’s not metro accessible you’ll have to catch an S bus, a cab or drive.
— Parking is a bear. If you get there early you can get a good spot in the parking lot but it will take you forever to get out after your event is over. Parking in the neighborhood isn’t so bad but it’s a neighborhood so that parking is limited.
— You can bring your own food but no picnic baskets, coolers, glass or alcohol.
— Once you go in there’s no reentry.
— Spray yourself to keep the bugs off.

For a whole, entire $ 25, I was able to see the WAR show! FABULOUS! There were two other excellent acts there that night. Fully enjoyed the performance, the outdoors and the price!
A native Washingtonian, I grew up with the Carter Barron, and have always LOVED that place! Know that they also host «free» shows during the summer. How can one possibly complain about something as WONDERFUL as the Carter Barron!

Free concerts in Rock Creek Park, D.C. Wonderful amphitheater built in the 1950’s, in great condition. Operated by the National Park Service. Parking at a distance, but handicapped accessible. Restrooms, refreshments with beer and wine close by. Large sheltered area in case of rain. Concerts suspended during thunderstorms, then resume. Enjoy music under the stars.

Carter Barron is really a great treat. A beautiful amphitheater on the edge of the Wildest part of Rock Creek Park. Because of the neighbors it doesn’t get used nearly as much as it might. It used to be home to the Shakespeare Theater’s Shakespeare Free For All, but that has now been taken out of the rain to the Harmen theater (try getting tickets now that it is in a much smaller venue… almost impossible). Most of the shows I’ve been here are not even half filled. It is a shame that more isn’t made out of this beautiful outdoor space.

As a native to DC, I love taking my out of town friends to a good concert at the Carter Barron. It’s not all dazzle of course; it’s outside. Yet, is so fun being here, especially if you can manage to come on a night of a really good act. This is where I saw Grover Washington months before he passed away. That night was magical. I’ve seen local artists like Maimouna Youseef here. Chuck Brown performed his blues set here. Kindred, Miles Jaye, Rashaan Patterson, Ledisi, Mint Condition and Raheem DeVaughn have graced this stage. This is a venue for a chill summer concert with a group of friends or your date. There is a snack/​concession stand, but yeah. you can sneak in a lil something/​something if you do it proper, including a digi cam to capture a few snap shots.
The Washington Post also host FREE concerts.
Tix prices are never over $ 20. (maybe 25 at the most) It’s Gen Admin. All seats, so no sitting on a lawn or anything like that.
The schedule isn’t released until late May every year. So watch out for the line and pick a nice Friday or Saturday evening to enjoy a concert under the stars!

I was shocked that I’ve lived in the DC area so long and never experienced Carter Barron. Driven by the sign countless times but I never knew such an interesting concert venue was back in those woods. Just be prepared to WALK very far, especially if you have to park in a nearby neighborhood.
I came with an ingenious, considerate friend who graciously had a soft cooler stocked with rum and cherry cokes (still in their mini bottles) so we thoroughly enjoyed the Mint Condition concert from beginning to end. It was a gorgeous evening! I couldn’t imagine being out there in the rain because there’s only a small covered concourse area behind the seats. All in all, I was pretty impressed with everything except my super dry turkey sandwich (they ran out of other food items).

I saw Mint Condition here 6÷11÷11. Stokley was really performing up there on stage. Fortunately, for all in attendance, the evening was surprisingly cool.
Unfortunately, for me, my blood alcohol was dangerously low. You can’t bring in any wine. Not even in those soft side boxes. And the concession stand is poorly stocked (can you say white zinfandel?), woefully understaffed (can you say hella long line that makes you miss too much of the show?), and takes cash only (can you say come on into the 2K11?) so I didn’t bother.
I plan to return. I always do. And as nice as this place is to take in a summer evening show, I sure do hope it can make a few upgrades/​modernizations. But I’m still a fan.

Attended a free concert here on Friday and really liked the venue. It’s like wolf trap but better in the sense that it’s in DC and has more seats.

We came last night for the first of four FREE concerts sponsored by the Washington Post — Weekend’s Weekends series. Last night was Latin Night.
The free event starts at 7:30 each night. We saw three bands perform. It was really nice, especially with the weather cooperating so nicely. Many couples were dancing to salsa and merengue music in front of the stage. All the performers were excellent. The best part was that it was free and getting to Carter Barron is really easy.
You need a ticket, but you can get it at the box office right before the start (and during) of the show. You can bring in food (I saw a guy with a pizza box), but no hard coolers, picnic baskets or glass bottles. I find the latter rue odd because they sell bottles of beer at the concession stand.
Other free performances (Wash Post) include Reggae Night (June 19), Ska Night (June 26) and Neo Soul Night (July 10). Other freebie performances are offered all summer long. I am looking forward to the Joint Service Jazz show on August 16^th.
How lucky are we to have this great outdoor venue in our own backyard? It doesn’t feel like DC when you are sitting in Rock Creek Park listening to great music or Shakespeare performances.

Shakespeare in the park at Carter-​Barron is one of the finest experiences DC has to offer. You have missed it this year — get it on your list for next year.
It is a fabulous, huge venue, hidden in the woods.
It’s free.
You can sneak in booze quite easily, in say a thermos flask. Be subtle. Funnily enough we had Sangria — the red variety, and it was excellent.

I’ve been to countless concerts and Free For All’s here, most recently on Saturday to see Chuck Brown. Carter Barron is a superb outdoor venue– it has excellent lighting and sound systems and very good sightlines from the plentiful seats. The walk in through the trees really sets a mood, and there’s nothing better on a summer evening than enjoying some music or theater under the stars.
Being outside does come with a price, though, and in DC that mostly means you’re at the mercy of the weather. On Saturday the thunderstorm delayed the concert for a good 45 minutes, and with the park service’s strict regulations on ending times (11:00 pm, no exceptions) the delay resulted in a shorter-​than-​anticipated concert. Still, dancing to the home grown sounds of DC in a wooded oasis in the city more than made up for the park service curfew.
Parking at Carter Barron is free, but somewhat limited so be sure to arrive in a timely fashion. Seats are also first come, first serve adding additional motivation for your early arrival. The small covered area at the top of the seats has a limited snack bar where you can buy water to beat the heat, and provides a crowded, but serviceable area to wait out any inclement weather. There are picnic tables and grassy areas around for those interested in eating at the performance.
Summer in DC isn’t complete without a trip to Carter Barron!

This is a great venue! I saw the Shakespeare Free for All here last night. The theatre sits cozily in the woods, with nice picnice tables available for a pre-​show treat. The parking was easy, and the theater itself was really nice looking stone motif. The only complaint I had was the chairs, which were kinda uncomforable-​but like other reviewers had mentioned better than the grass. Another boo was to the no glass rule, I had to leave my trader joes beverages out in the car.

I’m a recent transport to DC so I was glad to hear that they had the Free For All series. (
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Frankly, free Shakespeare is wonderful. Free Shakespeare from a professional theater company? Even better. The Amphitheater is a fantastic space – it’s beautiful, it’s outdoors, it’s kept remarkably clean, and the seats were still comfortable after 3.5 hours of Hamlet. It can easily sit a couple of thousand it seemed, and seeing the stage was not a problem from anywhere in the audience.
We actually got in a little late, but the ticketing staff was very accommodating and friendly, they let you walk in even after the play had begun. That probably wouldn’t fly in a real theater, but it works out here, so it’s okay if you’re running late, you can still enter.
If you’re coming to a show, you must absolutely prepare for cold weather. Even if it’s balls hot, it’s like camp – wear layers and bring extra just in case. It can get very cold without the warm sun on you, especially if you’re just sitting there for hours on end.
The acoustics and lighting were fantastic. They even sell snacks in the back – or at least it looked like it did. Be sure to grab dinner ahead of time, or bring a picnic dinner. They’ve got plenty of space for people to camp out ahead of time and sit on the grass.
Getting there – I highly recommend carpooling or taking the bus if you can. There wasn’t a huge parking lot, and a lot of people tend to drive. If you take the bus there, be sure to plan your return trip (unlike me). Either you’ll be taking the bus or getting a cab… which is a bit difficult in the area.
I would definitely come back, this was a great program and a wonderful outdoor space.

I was just at Carter Barron for the opening night performance of Hamlet for this year’s Shakespeare in the Park. As soon as I stepped foot in Rock Creek Park I felt like I was back in Santa Cruz walking through the woods and surrounded by trees to get to class.
The entire time my friends and I were expecting to sit on a giant lawn, but when we got to the actual venue we saw that in the middle of the woods was a giant ampitheater — it was very reminiscent of going to the media theatre or the music center at UC Santa Cruz, a random man made stone structure in the middle of the trees, grass, and dirt.
The ampitheater itself was huge with plenty of seats. The food wasn’t very good at all, nor was the service at the concession stands but that’s our own faults for not brining our own food and drink as is permitted during Shakespeare in the Park.
Though it got cold as the sun went down it truly was an amazing experience watching an enactment of Hamlet that blended the contemporary with the Elizabethan in an ampitheatre that itself was a juxtaposition to its surroundings.
I’d recommend everyone come here. I can only imagine what it would be like for a concert.