festival events

before the show

Arrive early for these pre-show events outdoors on the green adjacent to the performing arts center.

Green Show

Approximately 45 minutes before the start of each play, the resident UTK Graduate Acting Fellows will present a variety of scenes to tune your ear to Shakespeare’s verse. Each Green Show performance will end with an entertaining introduction to the characters, plot, and world of the play you are about to see.

picnic on the green

Come early to your show to enjoy a picnic on the green. Bring your own if you like or order from us. Picnic meals are now available to order for pickup prior to the Green Show.

Choose from five options for pick-up at Blooming Grounds (50 East 3rd St, Winona) or four options for pick-up at Muddled Thyme (75 West 3rd St, Winona). Beverages are not included in the picnic option but can be purchased separately.

From Blooming Grounds:

  • Charcuterie Box $20 (assortment of cured meats, cheeses, nuts, jam & toasted baguette bites for 1-2 people)

  • Gluten Free (GF) Charcuterie Box $20 (assortment of cured meats, cheeses, nuts, jam & gluten free crackers for 1-2 people)

  • Chicken Caesar Wrap $15 (chicken, romaine, parmesan, caesar dressing in garlic herb flour tortilla - served with kettle chips)

  • Craisin Bleu Salad (GF) $15 (chicken, romaine, craisins, pecans, bleu cheese crumbles & poppyseed dressing)

  • Vegetarian Craisin Bleu Salad (GF) $15 (romaine, craisins, pecans, bleu cheese crumbles & poppyseed dressing)

From Muddled Thyme:

  • Vegan Butternut Squash Brick-fired Pizza $20 (butternut squash, vegan garlic spread, caramelized onions, thyme & vegan cheese)

  • GF Vegan Butternut Squash Brick-fired Pizza $24 (butternut squash, vegan garlic spread, caramelized onions, thyme, vegan cheese on a GF crust)

  • YOLO Brick-fired Pizza $20 (tomato, mozzarella, pancetta, pepperoni, sausage & bacon)

  • GF YOLO Brick-fired Pizza $24 (tomato, mozzarella, pancetta, pepperoni, sausage, bacon on a GF crust)

Meals must be ordered by midnight two days before the performance (so by 11:59 p.m. June 26 for the June 28 show). Picnic will not be available prior to matinee or Sunday performances or on July 4.

Order picnics here. For more dining options in the Winona area, check out our guide.

During the show

Accessibility services are available during Friday matinees at 1 p.m.

The festival can accommodate any accessibility needs at any performance with advance notice. However, if you are looking to join with a community that shares your accessibility needs, Friday matinees are the time for you.

The first two Friday matinees are fidget friendly. These performances will have adjustments to accommodate those who may struggle to sit quietly through an entire performance and those who have sensory concerns. The final two Friday matinees will be interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) and audio described live for the blind (via headset).

Those who would benefit from these services are encouraged to discuss their needs with the box office personnel when ordering tickets so that special seating requests can be accommodated.

Accessibility services are sponsored by Merchants Bank.

after the show

One of the best parts of all theater is the conversation that happens after the show. Join us for some formal and informal discussions with the artists who create the season’s productions.

ICE Cream Socials

FRIDAY and SATURDAY EVENINGS after the SHOW

Join us right after the show every Friday and Saturday night outside the theatre for an ice cream socials.  Enjoy a FREE frozen treat, mingle with the cast and crew, and share your experiences of the plays with your fellow audience members. 

Ice Cream Socials are sponsored by Miller Scrap.

company conversations

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT 11AM

Grab a coffee and settle in for fun, fascinating, and in-depth conversations with our Company members about the plays, the productions, and life in the theater. Company Conversations take place at Blooming Grounds Coffee House downtown. Come ready with your questions! Select conversations are broadcast on Facebook Live (facebook.com/GreatRiverShakes), so you can also join from the comfort of your living room!

This is a FREE event, food and drink purchases are encouraged.

Company Conversations are sponsored by Greg and Teri Evans and Mary Alice Anderson.

post-show talkbacks

THURSDAY EVENINGS

On Thursday evenings, stay in your seats after the show and meet the cast who just performed! Have your questions ready as our actors and crew share what goes on behind the scenes and how we bring our productions all the way from page to stage.  

This is a FREE event.

Post-Show Talkbacks are sponsored by Dr. Sally Sloan.