Built of Douglas Fir and Southern Yellow Pine, the Filene Center is a beautiful outdoor amphitheater designed to be in harmony with its national park setting. The venue hosts more than 80 performances each summer, as well as 2 free annual celebrations—the Summer Blast Off! with the US Marine Band and a winter Holiday Sing-A-Long. Since the first performance in 1971, world-renowned artists from every genre have graced the Filene Center stage—many returning over and over again due to the extraordinary setting. A typical season includes a mix of legends and chart-toppers. The Filene Center was founded by a visionary woman, Catherine Filene Shouse . In 1966, Shouse donated farmland, along with funds to build an outdoor venue, to the US government. Congress designated it Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. And to this day, it’s operated through a unique public/private partnership between the non-profit Wolf Trap Foundation and the National Park Service.