There’s nothing that can replicate the feeling of a live performance; the energy of the performers and the crowd, the details of the venue, the light, the sound, and of course… the music! Walla Walla is quickly becoming the mainstage for any kind of music lover’s getaway. Throughout the year, live music lovers can visit the southeastern corner of Washington state for world-class music of just about any kind.
Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival
Held annually in January and June
Featuring everything from live music in the vineyards to performances in cellar rooms and rehearsals in smaller winery tasting rooms, the winter and summer Chamber Music Festival is well worth planning your visit around.
For 2023, the Winter Festival will be held on Thursday, January 12th through Sunday, January 15. This year’s Winter Festival features the Puget Sound Piano Trio and Vital Quartet, and of course, the greatest music of all time.
Plan your winter getaway and buy your Silver Passes now to experience all this:
Portrait of an Artist – Thursday, January 12 at 6:00PM, Foundry Vineyards
Orlando Wells, violin; with Ronaldo Rolim on piano
Tasting Music – Friday, January 13 at 6:00PM, Foundry Vineyards
Mendelssohn Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66, featuring Puget Sound Piano Trio
Special Event – Saturday, January 14 at 6:00 PM. The Walls Winery
Vital Quartet, music of William Grant Still, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson and Florence Price
Festival Series – Sunday, January 15 at 7:00PM, Rôtie Cellars Production Space (Airport Area)
Music by Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, Richard Strauss and Felix Medelssohn
Ready for a winter escape?
Walla Walla Guitar Festival
Held every year in March
The Walla Walla Guitar Festival is a three-day music festival, featuring not just local but regional and national acts, all happening in the heart of downtown Walla Walla! Picture a pub crawl and a rock concert all in one and you have the Walla Walla Guitar Festival, a “large time” for rock and roll lovers and a great excuse for a late-winter getaway. Sound like your kind of jam? Learn more and plan your March trip!
Wine Country Concerts
The newest addition to Walla Walla’s live music scene, Wine Country Amphitheater is bringing world-renowned talents like Aaron Lewis, ZZ Top, and Bonnie Raitt to Walla Walla starting with the first concert on June 8, 2022: ZZ Top’s Raw Whisky Tour. Whether you’re a fan of live music in general or the internationally renowned artists taking the stage in particular, the summer season at Wine Country Amphitheater is sure to please.
Live Music in the Vineyards
Many of Walla Walla’s wineries host live music throughout the season, their gorgeous vineyards and thoughtfully appointed tasting rooms providing a signature Walla Walla backdrop to the sounds of local and regional artists.
Tranche
Beginning in April and running through November, Tranche hosts live music in their natural grass amphitheater every Friday and Saturday night. Tranche also brings out various food trucks every weekend so that you can enjoy a delicious meal paired with their wines!
Thursday Night Lights at Eternal Wines
Located in the Airport District, Eternal Wines hosts a different band and food truck as part of their weekly Thursday Night Lights concert and food truck series (beginning in April and running through August). With ample seating, cornhole and even darts, this is a great way to start your Walla Walla vacation. Doors at 5pm, music from 6-8pm, $5 cover. Wine by the glass or bottle plus beer, cider or Truly by the can.
Va Piano Vineyards also regularly hosts live music on their piazza, and a number of other local wineries and tasting rooms host popup performances that you’ll need to check our local events calendar to catch.
Walla Walla Symphony
The longest continuously running symphony west of the Mississippi, the Walla Walla Symphony holds the majority of their performances at Cordiner Hall. This beautiful concert space offers exceptional acoustics, set amidst the beauty of the Whitman College campus (a great spot for a walking sculpture tour). If you visit during the summer months, check on their Summer in the Parks series which features small groups of its musicians performing short, informal concerts in outdoor spaces around Walla Walla.
Whether you enjoy Beethoven or the Beatles, household names or soon-to-be-discovered talents, intimate venues or expansive amphitheaters, Walla Walla has the soundtrack for any music lover’s getaway.