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Central Park’s most famous stage has had a glow-up—and you don’t need a ticket to check it out. After an 18-month, $85-million renovation, the Delacorte Theater is throwing open its gates for a rare public walkthrough this Saturday, August 23, from 11am to 3pm. (Can't make it that date? Another walkthrough will be held Saturday, September 13 at the same times.) Think of it as Shakespeare without the stage fright: a chance to poke around the newly revitalized amphitheater before you even snag a seat for Twelfth Night.
RECOMMENDED: The complete guide to Shakespeare in the Park in NYC
The facelift is no small thing. The 1962 landmark now boasts reclaimed redwood exteriors (from old NYC water towers), wider seats, 20 more ADA-accessible spots, new ramps, lifts and dressing rooms that are finally air-conditioned. Even the bathrooms got an overhaul—cheers to the Central Park Conservancy for more stalls in the women’s restroom. Call it accessibility, sustainability and comfort in one neatly cued act.
Saturday’s sneak peek is totally free, no tickets or RSVPs required. Guests can wander the theater, snap photos and marvel at the upgrades that Artistic Director Oskar Eustis calls “a platform for democracy.” Food will be available from Public Fare if you get peckish mid-tour.
But the celebration doesn’t stop there. Stick around for the evening “Picnic in the Park” on the Turtle Pond Lawn (5:30–8 pm), where you can spread a blanket, bring your own feast or grab something on-site before curtain. Expect live music, lawn games and plenty of midsummer magic leading into the night’s performance of Twelfth Night (tickets required for the show, but not the picnic). Pro tip: If you’d rather not schlep sandwiches, Wonder is delivering meals directly to the Delacorte with a cheeky $10 off code—very Elizabethan, very convenient.
If costumes are more your speed than carpentry, head downtown to the Public’s Shiva Theater between now and August 31 for Shakespeare Costumes: The Complete Works, a free exhibit featuring outfits from all 38 plays. Where else can you clock Hamlet’s melancholy threads and Titania’s fairy finery under one roof?
While you could just wait until curtain time to admire the Delacorte’s comeback, why miss the chance to swan around Central Park’s most storied stage while it’s basking in its solo spotlight? Free, fabulous and firmly New York—it’s the kind of encore you’ll actually want to stand up for.