Outdoor theatre is a beloved summer tradition, one not to be missed if you鈥檙e near a venue. Many of these outdoor spaces鈥攕uch as Tanglewood in the Berkshires, California鈥檚 Hollywood Bowl, Chicago鈥檚 Ravinia Park Pavilion, or even London鈥檚 Regent鈥檚 Park Open Air Theatre鈥攐ffer picnic spots for use before and, sometimes, during the performance. Picnicking can be as much a part of the experience as the show.
But if you鈥檝e ever made last-minute plans to visit one of these outdoor venues, you may have learned that picnics favor the prepared. 半岛体育 created the ultimate check-list for a successful and relaxing picnic, guaranteed to have you perfectly prepared and ready to go.
1. Check in with your specific venue
First things first: always go to the venue鈥檚 website to review their specific setup is. Different places have different rules about what is and is not allowed onsite, and, of course, it鈥檚 always important to know what the picnic area is like. Is there food available at the venue, or do you have to bring your own? Is there a picnic lawn or just an area with picnic tables? Is it BYOB or no alcohol allowed? All of these questions and many more can be answered by visiting the venue鈥檚 website.
2. Bring a blanket鈥攂ut check the weather!
A big blanket or quilt is a picnic staple, but it鈥檚 always important to check and see if it has rained recently. If the ground is wet, your blanket鈥攁nd pants鈥攃ould easily become a soggy mess. In those cases, it鈥檚 best to bring a folding camp chair to sit in. Many venues offer chairs to rent on-site. Extreme picnickers go all out with tables and tents鈥攊f you care to join their ranks.
3. Pack food in disposable containers
The less you have to carry around with you, the better, which means any time you can pack food in a disposable container, the better off you鈥檒l be. Recyclable plastics and cardboard containers make great eco-friendly options. You can even bring disposable wine glasses to avoid the risk of glass.
4. Be thoughtful about food choice
Unless you鈥檙e a very intense picnicker, you鈥檙e probably not going to have a dining table in front of you. It鈥檚 best to not pick foods that you鈥檒l have to cut with a fork and knife to be able to eat. There鈥檚 a reason meat and cheese plates are such a picnic staple. Cold packs can keep cold foods cold, but it鈥檚 harder to keep things warm, so keep that in mind as well. If you plan on continuing your picnic during the performance, your neighbors will also appreciate if you select food that鈥檚 relatively quiet to eat. (Make sure to pop that champagne cork before the show begins.)
5. Get a pre-made picnic if you鈥檙e from out of town
If you鈥檙e going to a venue that isn鈥檛 local to you, don鈥檛 fret; many local vendors feature pre-made picnics, complete with food, drink, and often picnic supplies like a blanket, chairs, and plates. Visit the venue鈥檚 website to find links to nearby vendors offering pre-made picnics, or information about similar offerings available on-site at the venue.
6. Don鈥檛 forget a corkscrew
You may have a perfectly chilled bottle of Ros茅 ready to go, but if you didn鈥檛 think ahead and remember to bring a corkscrew, you may find yourself out of luck. It could also potentially make you popular on the picnic grounds when your neighbors start looking for a corkscrew to borrow!
7. Watch the open flame
It鈥檚 not unheard of for regulars to bring dishes as elaborate as fondue to their picnic鈥攐r for the less culinary ambitious, citranella candles to keep the bug away鈥攂ut be sure to check out the rules of the grounds about open flames.
