Renown Shakespeare Festival and Amazing landscapes for outdoor enthusiasts is the winning combination

Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah will be here very soon. For all the Bard lovers and medieval dramatists that enjoy a bit of cultural enlightenment stay tuned! Cedar City is great for many things, but two of the most popular are its annual Shakespeare Festival and the beautiful red rock country that surrounds the southern Utah city. Starting in June and running till late August nine plays will presented and enjoyed by many. Of the nine plays, four of them will be written by Shakespeare. 

William Shakespeare    Photo by Mike Birdy

The part about the Shakespeare Festival is that it all happens during the summertime months and with that said Cedar City is surrounded by so many beautiful outdoor attractions like the Cedar Breaks National Monument. Only about 44 minutes away or 34 miles, you can definitely plan out a full day of seeing the Monument and then be back in time for a Shakespearean play in the evening.

 Most plays start in the evening and the time you have until then can be easily planned to see the amazing red rock country that Cedar City is renown for. The entrance fee for Cedar Breaks National Monument is ten dollars which will allow you to come and go for seven days from purchase date. Children fifteen years of age or younger are free. Cedar Breaks is actually over ten thousand feet above sea level and is a great place to see stars at night time. Cedar Breaks is exactly what it sounds like, all of a sudden the cedars stop and there is a huge break in the plateau that goes half a mile down essentially a red rock amphitheatre of eroded sandstone rock.

          Bryce Canyon in Utah           Photo by Angelica Reyn

The spires of rock are amazing to see at sunset and sundown, the colors fluctuate as the sun gradually disappears beyond the horizon. The blanketing prairies along the plateau are overfilled with wildflowers all displaying a different color. Some flora are yellow, others are red, while some might be purple and or white. It is best to stay on the trail and don't wander to far because the drop offs are very dangerous. The canyon rim visitor center is only open from June to October every year. It coincides well with the Shakespearean Festival which is open from June to the end of August. 

Bryce Canyon is one of the "mighty five" national parks within Utah. It has been on and off inhabited by people for the past ten thousand years. First by indigenous people and then people of the old world settling in the area as ranchers. Brigham Young sent on of the first Mormon settlers down to Bryce Canyon his name was Bryce and he settled right below the enormous hoodoos. People started calling the area Bryce's Canyon but eventually it was changed to Bryce Canyon. The actual park is about an hour and thirty minutes away from Cedar City and close enough for travelers to take in the scenery and be back in time for a Shakespearean play in the evening.  

Bryce Canyon in Southern Utah.             Photo by Angelica Reyn

If you feel more like staying nearby you can roam around historical Cedar City's Main Street. You can checkout the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum or the old fashioned Bulloch's Drug Store with lots of candy and ice cream and drinks. Of course all the amenities you're looking for can be found at Lin's Market or Smith's. While if you're needing a quick trim or haircut for your night out you can stop by the Main Street Barber. If you feel just feel like looking through a bookstore and eating some treats at the cafe there is the Main Street Books.

At any rate, the day will fly by without you even noticing. When it comes to the plays that are playing at the Shakespeare Festival this year 2021, the four plays by Shakespeare himself are: Pericles starting on June 21st and running till September 9th 2021. Then there is Richard III which starts on June 22nd 2021 and running till September 10th 2021. The Comedy of Errors starts on June 23rd and will go till September 11th 2021. Cymbeline starts on July 16th and goes till October 9th 2021. 

If you're looking for some place to eat and then go to the plays, Cedar City has some great restaurants and cafes if you're looking for something fancy or laid back Cedar City has you covered. First of all, Centro Woodfired Pizzeria has some of the most interesting and delicious pizzas and amazing desserts. If you're looking for something like a sandwich and a nice drink checkout Pastry Pub. If you feel like dining on a little Italian there is Chef Alfredo's Ristorante Italiano.  If you would like to try some great Mexican food there is Puerto Vallarta Jalisco. Any kind of cuisine you might be salivating for Cedar City has it. 

Lodging in Cedar City is quite nice, there is the motel or hotel approach with Best Western Town & Country Inn and or Ramada Hotel & Conference Center Cedar City by Wyndham. Or the other options are Bed & Breakfast places like Bard's the Bed & Breakfast or Big Yellow Inn and Amid Summer's Inn Bed and Breakfast.