Music, Performances & Theater

A up close image of silver organ pipes.

Organ Series

Spotlight on the Longwood Organ

Composed of 10,010 pipes divided into 146 ranks, the Longwood Organ is the largest Aeolian organ ever constructed in a residential setting. This fall, we celebrate this masterpiece of an instrument and those who play it.

View the lineup

The arts at Longwood are as alive, inspiring, and beautiful as our Gardens. Just as our founder, Pierre S. du Pont, showcased the leading artists of his time in these spectacular settings, our exquisite symphony of performance and place continues to enchant audiences today.

Upcoming Events

two men with their backs to the camera playing guitars on a wooden stage in an outdoor venue
Live Music in the Beer Garden

Free with Gardens admission. Sit with family and friends under the stars and enjoy live music in our Beer Garden.

Most Friday–Sunday Evenings May–October
Carillon Concerts

Free with Gardens admission. Enjoy the sounds of our 62-bell Longwood Carillon amid the lovely setting of our picturesque Chimes Tower.

Select Evenings May–September, 2025
Fountains and fireworks in hues of yellow, red, and violet, with angled fireworks mimicking fountains and framing a large round central fireburst.
Fireworks & Fountains Shows

Our spectacular Fireworks & Fountains Shows return this summer, setting the sky—and our hearts—aglow.

September 13, 2025 at 8:15 pm
A large bonsai pine tree stands in the foreground against the corner of a large glasshouse in the left background.
Longwood Reimagined Documentary Screening

Free with Gardens Admission. Experience Longwood Reimagined, a cinematic journey tracing the creation of our extraordinary 17-acre revitalization.

September 19, 20, and 21, 2025
Michael Xavier Lundy
Michael Xavier Lundy

Free with Gardens admission. Making his Longwood debut, Director of Liturgy, Music and Parish Organist for the Saint Thomas More Catholic Church (Chapel Hill, NC) Michael Xavier Lundy has performed throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

October 5, 2025 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
Luke Staisiunas
Luke Staisiunas

Free with Gardens admission. Interim Organist-Choirmaster at the Anglo-Catholic parish of Christ Church (Woodbury, NJ), Luke Staisiunas is a versatile musician and technician based in Philadelphia.

October 12, 2025 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
a young child sits at the organ console while an adult takes their picture
Open Organ Console Day

Join in the excitement and have your five minutes of fame on The Longwood Organ.

October 19, 2025 at 10:30 am–1:30 pm
Peter Richard Conte & Opera Philadelphia
Peter Richard Conte and Opera Philadelphia

In partnership with Opera Philadelphia’s Pipe Up! Series, Longwood Gardens Principal Organist Peter Richard Conte pairs up with singers from Opera Philadelphia for an evening featuring solo organ, choral ensemble, and combined forces.

October 23, 2025 at 7:30 pm
People of all ages stroll through a fountain garden.
Fountain Fest Weekends

Free with Gardens admission. Celebrate with Illuminated Fountain Performances, music, and activities all centered around our imaginative themes.

Select Weekends May–October 2025
Closeup of an organ keyboard with sheet music for Christmas Chimes Noel in the right foreground.
Organ Music

Free with Gardens Admission. Listen to the sounds of the season played on The Longwood Organ.

Daily during A Longwood Christmas, 2:00–10:00 pm
Long angled view of a housefront with multiple arches brightly lit for Christmas, including an outdoor tree constructed of lights in the right background.
Outdoor Christmas Musicians

Free with Gardens Admission. Enjoy festive music while exploring our dazzling outdoor display.

Select Dates & Times during A Longwood Christmas
Fountains lit with yellow light rise against a night sky, with a lit Christmas tree form on either side.
New Year’s Eve

Free with Gardens Admission. Ring in the New Year with outdoor musicians, our historic organ, and more!

December 31, 2024, 2:00–10:00 pm
Gabe Benton
Gabe Benton

Free with Gardens admission. Making his Longwood debut, Director of Music and Organist at the historic Grace United Methodist Church (Wilmington, DE) Gabriel Benton enjoys a multifaceted career as a recitalist, church musician, early music specialist, accompanist, and teacher.  

January 18, 2026 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
Aaron Patterson
Aaron Patterson

Free with Gardens admission. A recent graduate of the Juilliard School, Aaron Patterson is Director of Music at Cresheim Valley Church in Philadelphia and was first place winner at the 2017 Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition and the 2016 West Chester University International Organ Competition.  

January 25, 2026 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
A close up of an organ console and keys.
Marc Cheban

Free with Gardens admission. Marc Cheban was Organist/Choirmaster of St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware for 30 years. His programs are marked by a delightful combination of serious organ works, orchestral transcriptions, and colorful novelty works.

February 1, 2026 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
Emily Ballentine Erb
Emily Ballentine Erb

Free with Gardens admission. Director of Music Ministries at First & Central Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE, and Artistic Director for Market Street Music, Emily Ballentine Erb is an accomplished musician and educator specializing in keyboard and choral performance.

March 22, 2026 at 1:00 & 3:00 pm
Curtis Student Recitals

Free with Gardens admission. Experience tomorrow’s stars as they perform solo and chamber music in these pre-graduation recitals.

March 29 & April 26, 2026 at 1:00 pm
James Kealey
James Kealey

Free with Gardens admission. Winner of the First Prize and Audience Prize at the 2022 American Guild of Organists’ National Young Artists Competition in Organ performance, James Kealey is a young artist of great distinction who has appeared in recital in England, the US, and Europe. 

April 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
a young child sits at the organ console while an adult takes their picture
Open Organ Console Day

Free with Gardens admission. Join in the excitement and have your five minutes of fame on The Longwood Organ.

April 19, 2026 at 10:30 am–1:30 pm
Explore all Events

Enjoy a Virtual Performance

BalletX

BalletX performs choreographer Robbie Fairchild’s new ballet, The Cycle, filmed amid the beauty of our Gardens.

Poor Man's Gambit

Brandywine Valley trio Poor Man’s Gambit treats us to their repertoire of traditional Irish sounds in our East Conservatory.

Plenty Pepper Steel Band

Plenty Pepper Steel Band treats us to fantastic Caribbean steel pan tunes in the beauty of our Conservatory.

Conjunto Philadelphia

Conjunto Philadelphia shares their vibrant take on traditional Cuban music amid a lovely Longwood backdrop.

New Year's Eve Concert

Galena Brass shares some holiday favorites—with our Conservatory as the festive backdrop—as we usher in 2021.

Play It Again: Concert Rewind