Kansas City's Shakespeare in the Park

Kansas City's Shakespeare in the Park is an annual event held each summer in the Southmoreland Park next door to the Nelson-Atkins Museum. It's also called the "Heart of America Shakespeare Festival." I've been several times and always enjoy myself. This is a "free" event, but the donation takers are pretty persuasive! They generally have a few activities before the performance you can enjoy, which is good because you want to get there early. Seating is first come first serve (besides a few sections of reserved seats you can purchase--see the website for more information). People bring camping chairs or sometimes blankets to lay on the ground. You're welcome to bring a cooler and a picnic with you to enjoy while you watch the play. People often bring wine.

In the past I've brought a blanket to lay on the ground, but honestly, the play will most likely be long so you may prefer a chair if you have a bad back!

So, should you bring kids? Well, they do have a few events before the show for kids, and it's always good to expose your kids to theater, right? Sure, if your kids will want to sit through a 2+ hour play spoken in Shakespearean English they don't understand while getting bitten by mosquitoes. Some kids will enjoy this, some kids won't. Mine would not. I brought my son when he was a few months old and he slept through it, which worked out well. Once a kids is 8 or 9 I think they would do alright as well...it's those ages in between that worry me.

Parking: You can park on the street, although this may be hard to find. You can also park in the parking garage across the street at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. In the past the fee was $5.

Tips: Bring some kind of bug repellant. Bring enough cold drinks to get you through the play (it is usually very hot!). Get there early to get a good seat. Use the restroom before you arrive unless you're cool with port-a-potties.

If you like this, you'll probably also enjoy the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.