Picnics at the Festival
“If music be the food of love, play on!” Twelfth Night Act I
For Date Night, Friends or Family ….
Picnics at outdoor Shakespeare shows are a time-honored tradition all around the world! Many feel that a fine picnic under the stars, paired with a fine show, truly creates THE “best night of summer”! Its an annual tradition everyone looks forward to!
At Shakesperience Fest, we emulate some of the nation’s most celebrated picnic traditions- the candlelabra-laden traditions found at amazing festivals our founders know well: like Chicago’s Ravinia or New England’s Tanglewood. Now central Iowa audiences have the same opportunities to celebrate summer here in our own back yards.
Festival gates open at 6:00 pm for picnics. All we ask is that you CARRY YOUR OWN TRASH OUT, as the Festival is run entirely by volunteers, and we must ask that Festival patrons assist us in keeping our city clean.
For the most fun with picnics at the Festival, we highly encourage our guests to do two things:
- Bring a sun umbrella! We have a limited number of FREE sun umbrellas for people to use, but we strongly encourage you to bring your own. Don’t worry about “blocking” views to the stage. We have timed our shows to start right about when the sun descends below the skyline, so sun umbrellas can be lowered when the show starts
- Create a theme or particularly elegant picnic through dress or menu, and join our“ Picnic with Panache” traditions! Wear your best floppy hat or white bucks, summer frocks or Rennaisance attire- or oh heck- bring men in tights! You’ll have fun regardless, but if you catch the eye of our informal judges in our casual “Picnic with Panache” contest, you just might win an immediate on-the-spot upgrade to VIP seating during the show (or come back and enjoy your reward on a second night!)
- Great picnic traditions are easy and affordable! For more on picnics with panache, see the 2010 dsm article (on our homepage link or in our press pages) and check out the info below!
- Also check out the traditions of our "Slow Food" friends - these days, picnicing has truly come into its own! See slowfooduse.org - there are local chapters in both Des Moines and Ames!
How to Picnic with Panache:
Some call it "Shakespeare Tailgating" - but at the ISE, we prefer to think of this as truly TALE-gating! But ah yes- a rose by any other name WOULD smell as sweet: Treating an elegant picnic is an outstanding, affordable yet ultra-special way to treat yourself or someone special- or to host a memorable evening for friends or family!
See the related dsm magazine article which showcases the Iowa Shakespeare Experience and our elegant picnic traditions! You’ll find lots of great ideas there –including lovely photographs- - as well as terrific menu suggestions that are both easy and delicious for summer dining.
But the best way to truly picnic with panache is to simply break out your best for this special night! That means bringing your best bottle of wine, favorite “slow food” gourmet recipes, and especially the most fun or elegant “fine dining” accoutrements like fine crystal, real china or otherwise special picnic plates, great tablecloths, ground cushions (try an oriental rug for seating with superb flair!). In particular, votive candles and candlelabras and a vase of fresh-picked wildflowers are time honored faves!
Our convenient free parking minimizes lugging- as does the use of wheeled carriers or coolers or as ever, a handy and elegant vintage picnic basket.
To make your picnic extra-special, also see our information on paid-ticket VIP seating at the Festival!
Concessions at the Festival:
The ISE is in the early stages of developing a line up of ultra special concessionaires to make your evening at the festival that much more of a delicious “slice of summer”!
Keep in mind that currently, our concessions are somewhat limited- when they are gone, they’re gone!
But this summer, while they last, make a point to enjoy wines (purchase by the bottle) from terrific wineries and also, DO NOT MISS the fantastic Gelato from Chocolaterie Stam’s! Whether it’s a long cool Iowa white or a scrumptious scoop of the Heartland’s very best, these outstanding treats are simply perfect for a summer night!
"A dish fit for the gods". (Julius Ceasar, Act II, Scene I).