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Freewill Shakespeare Festival

Shakespeare comes alive in the park.
Experience live outdoor theatre in Edmonton's William Hawrelak Park
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At Freewill, the experience begins before the first line is spoken. From gathering in William Hawrelak Park to sharing a performance beneath the canopy, there's something special about theatre outdoors.

Discover the Experience

Experience the Festival

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From lively comedies to moving tragedies, our productions bring Shakespeare's stories to life. Meet the artists and explore the performances that make each festival season unique.

Explore Productions

On Our Stage

Historic photo of Freewill's 1989 production with the cast, arms raised.

Our first production, The Comedy of Errors, took the stage in 1989. Decades of artists, audiences, and Shakespeare in the park have made Freewill what it is today.

Celebrate Our Story

Who We Are

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Great theatre takes a community, both onstage and off. From donations to volunteering, your support helps keep Shakespeare part of Edmonton's summer.

Support Freewill

Support the Festival

Land Acknowledgement

The Freewill Shakespeare Festival has been performing in the parks of amiskwaciwâskahikan, colonially known as Edmonton, since 1989. These lands, part of Treaty 6 territory and the Métis District 9 and 10, are the traditional territories of the Tsuut’ina, Nêhiyaw-Askiy (Plains Cree), Métis, Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney Nakoda), Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), Niitsítapi (Blackfoot), and Néhiyaw (Cree). These communities were and continue to be the home and meeting place of many Indigenous communities, and we are honoured to be able to live, create, and perform here.

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“I can no other answer make but thanks,
And thanks, and ever thanks.”

 

— William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene III (Sebastian)

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Our work is made possible through the support of the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the City of Edmonton, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Edmonton Arts Council, the Edmonton Community Foundation, and the generosity of our many donors.

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