Kern Park📅 Saturday, August 9, 2025
Thank you for joining Shakespeare in the Park at Kern Park!
2025 is our very first season at this delightful and unexpected green space along the Milwaukee River. Kern Park may look modest from the street, but it stretches deep into the landscape, revealing shaded hillsides perfect for a stage—and an audience. Easily located in the north end of eclectic Riverwest neighborhood, this marks our first return to Riverwest since 2016. We’re thrilled to be back! To make sure you don’t miss any updates — especially last-minute changes — we highly recommend that you register or make a reservation. So, without further “Much Ado”... |
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Kern Park - Shakespeare in the Park Schedule:
1:00 PM
🕐 Concessions and PLAY’s activities will pause during performances.
1:00 PM
- Audience seating area opens
- Claim your spot with a lawn chair or blanket
- Concessions open (subject to availability)
- Very light refreshments for a suggested donation
- The PLAY’s the Thing tent opens with drop-in, hands-on games like Shakespeare in the Park's original "The Bard Game"
- Unless otherwise noted, activities from 1:00 to 2:00 are easy to pop in and out of any time. No need to arrive at the top of the hour.
- Much Ado About Nothing – Puppet Edition
- A 60-minute puppet performance full of wit, quick changes and over the top enjoyment. - click here for more about the shows
- Puppet performances aren't crafted specifically for kids but they'll enjoy the show too.
- A 60-minute puppet performance full of wit, quick changes and over the top enjoyment. - click here for more about the shows
- The PLAY’s the Thing moves from their tent and takes the stage with special events, demo's, workshops and more - click here for more information
- The activity on tap for Kern Park is Time Bandits: Grace O’Malley’s Pirate School: Swordplay and Sea Shanties
- Early Music Now performance
- Live Renaissance-era music, 30–35 minutes
- The Taming of the Shrew
- A 50-minute Shakespearean battle of the sexes featuring a small-but-mighty cast playing all the characters - click here for more about the shows
🕐 Concessions and PLAY’s activities will pause during performances.
🚗 Getting There – Location & Directions
Kern Park address is:
3614 N Humboldt Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53212
(GPS coordinates for the performance area: near 43.08271, -87.89476)
You’ll be surprised how spacious Kern Park feels once you’re inside! From Humboldt Blvd, it looks like a small neighborhood green space, but it opens up into a broad hillside stretching toward the Milwaukee River on the east.
The park is bordered by:
🅿️ Parking
There is a public parking lot at Kern Park on Singer Circle - the one-way street on the north side of the park. Space is very limited. Please do not drive into the park—vehicle traffic is not allowed on pedestrian pathways and may result in a ticket. (Optimist Theatre has special permission to unload equipment.)
Do not park along Keefe Avenue—while it’s tempting, parking is not legal there and the City may issue tickets. Instead, try these free street parking options:
🎭 Performance Space
Performances will take place just northeast of the playground, on a grassy hillside that naturally slopes toward the river. The exact spot is still being finalized, but you’ll find us near 43.08271, -87.89476.
It’s a small enough park that if you walk east from any entrance, you’ll spot the stage setup with no trouble.
Note: A birthday party is scheduled at the playground the same day as our performances. Please be considerate as you walk by.
🚶 Walking Tips
From the South (Keefe & Dousman):
Bonus Tip: There’s a nature trail along the river just east of Kern that connects to Pleasant Valley Park. While not paved, it’s a beautiful nearby area for guests who want to explore before or after the show.
🗺️ For a map, visit the Main Shakespeare in the Park Map (Google Map)
Kern Park address is:
3614 N Humboldt Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53212
(GPS coordinates for the performance area: near 43.08271, -87.89476)
You’ll be surprised how spacious Kern Park feels once you’re inside! From Humboldt Blvd, it looks like a small neighborhood green space, but it opens up into a broad hillside stretching toward the Milwaukee River on the east.
The park is bordered by:
- Humboldt Blvd (west) – very busy traffic
- Residential areas (north and south)
- Milwaukee River (east)
On maps, it appears connected to the larger greenbelt that runs along both riverbanks.
🅿️ Parking
There is a public parking lot at Kern Park on Singer Circle - the one-way street on the north side of the park. Space is very limited. Please do not drive into the park—vehicle traffic is not allowed on pedestrian pathways and may result in a ticket. (Optimist Theatre has special permission to unload equipment.)
Do not park along Keefe Avenue—while it’s tempting, parking is not legal there and the City may issue tickets. Instead, try these free street parking options:
- Dousman Street
- Randolph Court (just off Dousman)
- Both sides of Humboldt Blvd
- Further west on Keefe
- E. Singer Circle
🎭 Performance Space
Performances will take place just northeast of the playground, on a grassy hillside that naturally slopes toward the river. The exact spot is still being finalized, but you’ll find us near 43.08271, -87.89476.
It’s a small enough park that if you walk east from any entrance, you’ll spot the stage setup with no trouble.
Note: A birthday party is scheduled at the playground the same day as our performances. Please be considerate as you walk by.
🚶 Walking Tips
From the South (Keefe & Dousman):
- Enter by the playground, then walk east toward the river.
- Two paved paths enter from the north end.
- Veer left off the pavement onto the grassy slope heading downhill toward the stage area.
- To the north of the performance space is a baseball diamond
- To the east are tennis courts
Bonus Tip: There’s a nature trail along the river just east of Kern that connects to Pleasant Valley Park. While not paved, it’s a beautiful nearby area for guests who want to explore before or after the show.
🗺️ For a map, visit the Main Shakespeare in the Park Map (Google Map)
🧺 What to Expect / We're here to Help – Comfort & Amenities
🎟️ Box Office / House / Information Tent:
The info tent will be placed uphill from the performance space, acting as a visible guide from any entrance.
If you have a reservation, check in here for help locating your seat or section. 👉 [More about Reservations]
☀️ Sun/Shade:
Parts of the hillside are sunny, and other areas are pleasantly shaded by mature trees.
🚻 Restrooms:
A standard-size portable restroom will be available near the performance area for audience convenience.
🧺 Picnics:
Picnicking is very welcome!
♿ ADA Accessibility:
🍿 Concessions:
Optimist Theatre will offer light snacks and water by donation.
🐾 Pets:
Well-behaved pets are welcome!
🎟️ Box Office / House / Information Tent:
The info tent will be placed uphill from the performance space, acting as a visible guide from any entrance.
If you have a reservation, check in here for help locating your seat or section. 👉 [More about Reservations]
☀️ Sun/Shade:
Parts of the hillside are sunny, and other areas are pleasantly shaded by mature trees.
- We’ll position the stage in the shadiest, flattest spot to ease stage setup and ensure comfortable walking access.
🚻 Restrooms:
A standard-size portable restroom will be available near the performance area for audience convenience.
🧺 Picnics:
Picnicking is very welcome!
- There are no picnic tables near the hillside stage—but there’s ample space to enjoy a blanket or lawn chair setup.
♿ ADA Accessibility:
- Drop-off nearby on Keefe/Dousman or Singer Circle
- Entrances are paved and most of the hillside slope is gentle
- We suggest having assistance if you're accessing the space with a wheelchair or other support device
- Audience seating on grass--chairs or blankets encouraged
🍿 Concessions:
Optimist Theatre will offer light snacks and water by donation.
- Tent opens about one hour before performances and closes during shows.
🐾 Pets:
Well-behaved pets are welcome!
- Please pick a spot near the edge so your pet can step away if needed.
🌟 Fun Facts About Kern Park
- Kern Park was once part of a private estate owned by the Kern family, who made their fortune in the flour business
In the early 1900s, the family’s grand Victorian home and grounds were located on this site. - In prehistoric city lore, a riverside path in Kern Park was nicknamed “Lovers’ Lane”—reportedly a moonlit escape for couples in the 1920s and ’30s
In 1931, public lights were added to keep the area “morally” illuminated! - Quick green escape: You can walk from busy Humboldt Blvd into the serene Milwaukee River Greenway within minutes—making the park a peaceful urban oasis
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Is Kern Park your park?
Download a Flyer and help spread the word! Choose the version that works best for you:
Flyers are available for all the parks as well. Please visit the Shakespeare in the Park 2025 page for additional downloads. Added as they become available. |
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