Your Visit
Make the most of your visit to the Freewill Shakespeare Festival! Learn more about how to get to the festival, the show, tips & tricks, and more! Check it out below!
Getting Here
We are performing at the newly renovated Heritage Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park. There are several free parking lots available throughout the Park. The Amphitheatre is located in the centre of the Park, so please note that there is walking required to get the entrance.
If you cannot walk far, please review our Accessibility page for more information.
Walking or Biking
Driving/Parking
Transit
Rentable E-Bikes/Scooters
Feeling Lost?
Walking
William Hawrelak Park is nestled in the Edmonton River Valley, surrounded by hills. If you are deciding to take the scenic route, or go on a walk before or after a show (remember, the park closes at 11PM so do no doddle in the evening), check out the Edmonton Nature Centre Foundation’s (ENCF) map for William Hawrelak Park.
Travel by Car
Hawrelak Park includes several parking lots within the park. The closest location to the Amphitheatre is the main parking lot. The main parking lot can be found if you go straight at the entrance and then turn left into the large parking lot a little ways down the road. There are several smaller parking lots available around the park but require additional walking time to access the Amphitheatre.
Be aware that on PWYW performances and during the weekends, the main parking lots can become very full. On those days, we recommend planning to arrive earlier. There is a limit to how many cars are allowed into the Amphitheatre and the outside gates will close if the park reaches capacity. If this happens, you will need to find parking up the hill in the residential areas. This will significantly increase the time it takes to get to the show.
The map below indicates the recommended walking path to the Amphitheatre from the main parking lot.
If you are travelling by taxi, Uber, or other ride-hailing service, enter “Hawrelak Park” or “Heritage Amphitheatre,” ensuring that the address is 9330 Groat Rd NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2T5. Instruct them to drop you off at the main parking lot by driving into the entrance of the park, driving straight for a little, and turning left when they access the large parking lot.
Travel by Transit
Two bus routes offer service near Hawrelak Park:
Both of these buses stop on Groat Road outside of the park. There is a paved pathway directly from the southbound stop. The northbound stop is located at the intersection of Groat Road and Emily Murphy Park Road and is a 10-minute walk to the entrance to Hawrelak Park and an additional 15-20 minute walk to the Heritage Amphitheatre. It is a long walk from the entrance of Hawrelak Park to the Heritage Amphitheatre, so please accommodate more time for travel.
Visit the ETS website for more information or the ETS Trip Planner to prepare for your journey.
If you are planning to Park & Ride to access the LRT, the University Station is the closest location to Hawrelak Park. It is a 40 minute walk from the station and it requires a very steep hill so please accommodate lots of time if you choose this option. You are also able to connect to Route 51 or Route 902 to slightly shorten the walking time, but it will still include a 20-30 minute walk.
Rentable E-Bikes and E-Scooters
This is one form of transportation we recommend less to get to the park.
If you are using a rented e-bike or scooter, like a Lime or Bird, it will automatically disable upon entering the park as it is a protected space. There is a drop-off point for all rental units near the bus stop outside the main entrance. If you do end up using this option, please accommodate additional time to walk to the Heritage Amphitheatre as it will take approximately 15-20 minutes to walk from the entrance of the Park.
Feeling Lost?
If maps aren’t your speed or you’re struggling with the directions, here’s some general way-finding information to help you if you’re feeling a bit lost in Hawrelak Park. Below is a general most with most of the nearby locations highlighted on it to help see where our site is compared to other landmarks.
General Tips
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The Heritage Amphitheatre is located near the middle of the park. From every direction, it is a long walk to access, so plan accordingly.
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The Amphitheatre is covered by a large white tent. In general, if you head toward that you are headed in the correct direction.
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The entrance to the Amphitheatre is up a paved hill and at a wooden gate. When you arrive you should see signage around the gates and some volunteers can direct you to where you need to go.
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If you are at any of the side wooden gates, you are at the staff entrance, keep walking around to find the wooden main gate.
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As you enter Hawrelak Park, follow the road straight. A large parking lot, this is the main parking lot, will be on your left. If you can, we recommend parking here, as it is the easiest location for accessing the Amphitheatre as it has several paved walkways leading to it.
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If you are struggling to find helpful walking directions, type in “Heritage Amphitheatre” into your preferred map app to get closer to the location.
Which landmark is closest to you?
Golf Driving Range: If you are here, you are near the entrance to Hawrelak Park. Follow the path into the park and turn left when you see a large parking lot off to your left. Follow the paths forward toward the Amphitheatre.
Community League Plaza: If you are here, you are at the back side of the Heritage Amphitheatre. Head left toward the water and keep following the path around the outside, past the staff entrance, and up a hill to the entrance.
Lift Me Up On the Lake: If you are here, you are close. Place the water to your back and follow the paved paths on either side and toward the large white tent, which is the Amphitheatre. The entrance will be off to the left side.
Playground Area: If you are here, you are close but have a few hills in the Park to go. Head across the grass, moving toward the water and away from the road. Soon, amongst the trees, you will see the large white text. Head toward it.
In general, the Heritage Amphitheatre is located at one of the tallest points within Hawrelak Park and under a large white tent. If you can see the white tent, your best plan of action is to head toward it. As well, the main gate is a large wooden gate at the highest point of the Amphitheatre. If you arrive after other folks have arrived, you will likely see volunteers and other patrons standing in line.
Much Ado About Nothing Content Notes
Witty wars of words are waged and hearts turn on a dime in Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy rolling two different love stories into one buoyantly bumpy ride to the altar. Benedick (Jesse Gervais) and Beatrice (Vanessa Sabourin) have everything in common. They’re both single. They’re both smart. They’re both funny. They also both hate marriage, not to mention each other. But who ever let that stand in the way of love? Certainly not Benedick’s boss, Don Pedro (John Ullyat), who leads a charge of merry tricks aimed to melt their hearts and make a match. Meanwhile Beatrice’s cousin, Hero (Rochelle Laplante), weathers deception of a different kind when Pedro’s brother Don John (Ron Pederson) manufactures misinformation aimed at cancelling both her and her wedding to Benedick’s best friend, Claudio (Braydon Dowler-Coltman). Can a bumbling night watch led by the befuddled constable Dogberry (Pederson again) save the day? With its stellar cast rounded out by Nadien Chu, Jen Fong, Richard Lee Hsi and Troy O’Donnell, Shakespeare’s timeless comedy asks how far we’ll go for love, and how much we’ll forgive.
There are moments when characters wear masks, sing, shout, kiss, and sword fight. Performers have entrances along the aisles that may be startling. Much Ado About Nothing contains complex and poetic language and discusses themes of love, pretending to be others, marriage, and redemption; suitable for those prepared to handle these elements.
SOMETHING ROTTEN! Content Notes
Get ready to laugh until it hurts—SOMETHING ROTTEN! is the outrageous Broadway smash that asks the ultimate question: what if Shakespeare had competition? It’s the English Renaissance and this wildly funny musical follows two brothers as they struggle to write a hit play in the shadow of a certain rock-star playwright. Desperate to outshine him, they turn to Nostradamus who predicts the future of theatre… and it’s all singing, all dancing, and completely ridiculous.
Bursting with show-stopping numbers, tap-dancing eggs, and more theatrical in-jokes than you can count, SOMETHING ROTTEN! is a love letter to musicals and the joy of live performance, a perfect way to return back to the Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park! It’s a joyful collision of past and present, where the Renaissance meets Broadway in the most unexpected ways.
Join us this summer for a production that’s as clever as it is contagious. With a brilliant cast, dazzling choreography, and a setting in the beautiful Edmonton River Valley that makes every moment feel like magic, SOMETHING ROTTEN! is the must-see event of the season—bold, hilarious, and guaranteed to leave you grinning and humming all the way home.
As this is a musical, there will be a lot of singing and dancing. Performers have entrances along the aisles that may be startling. SOMETHING ROTTEN! contains frequent sexual innuendos, suggestive humour, and light mature themes so parental guidance is recommended for those under 13.
Freewill Tips & Tricks
Here are some helpful tips and tricks to make the most of your 2026 festival experience!
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Experience a Special Event
Over half of all performances also include a special event. Visit our Special Events page to plan your trip.
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Snacks & Drinks Galore
We are happy to partner with Grizzly Paw brewing for a mix of pop, beer, and low-alc options as well as wine, canned cocktails, snack boxes, popcorn, and more! You are also welcome to bring any snacks and non-alcoholic drinks into the Amphitheatre with you! If you have more time, check out the newly opening Lift Me Up on the Lake restaurant.
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3
New Show Times
Our matinee (afternoon) shows start at 1:30 pm and evening shows at 7:30 pm. There are no shows on Mondays and Sunday evenings.
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Travel Among Friends
Theatre is always better with others so we recommend carpooling, rolling, or biking to site with others to help keep more parking stalls available for those with additional accessibility needs.
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Dress for the Weather
We have returned under a tent, but are not immune to the elements. Mosquitoes, sun, wind, cold, and rain are all possible, so you’ll want to be ready.
Need more help? Worried about the 'thee's and 'thou's? Check out our Shakespeare 101 page to learn more!