Friends of Bill

Funny, I never think of kettle corn and William Shakespeare in the same sentence.

But when the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival kicks off its 14th season this week, the sweet aroma of that sticky, caramel-glazed popcorn will waft through Southmoreland Park with an almost hypnotic effect on visitors to the free performances of King Henry V.

But the king of the kettle-corn concession, Chris Watts, doesn't rely on fragrance alone to lure customers to his booth. He also gives away free samples. "We call him the crack dealer of the festival because the stuff is so incredibly addictive," says Lisa Cordes, the festival's executive director.

Besides kettle corn, parkgoers can buy Dippin' Dots and offerings from the culinary concession overseen by the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art's Rozzelle Court restaurant (sausage dogs, roller dogs, salads). Still, festival staffers made an interesting discovery after taking a survey last year: 60 percent of the show's audience — more than 22,000 people last year — preferred bringing their own food.

"Where else can the whole family come out to watch a show for free and be able to bring along their own meals or snacks?" Cordes says. "You won't find many local outdoor music festivals or concert venues that permit that. Part of our mission is to make Shakespeare accessible to everyone in the city, and if audiences want to bring their own food, then the event really is totally free."

That creates a conundrum for local restaurants that might want to set up food concessions. They must compete with Shakespeare fans who prefer to carry in their own picnic baskets. And there's even competition among those patrons.

"We have audience members who bring in more elaborate picnics every year," says Cordes, who has seen people unpack silver wine buckets, candelabra, crystal and good china along with imported cheeses, caviar and baguettes. "That's another reason that food is such a big part of the event. People like to be able to eat and drink through the show."

A less discussed reason for encouraging audiences to pack picnics: kids in the crowd. Shakespeare might not appeal to the toddler set, but a nonstop assortment of snacks does. "Food keeps the kids happy and settled through the whole show," Cordes says. "That makes everyone else happy, too."

And much less likely to miss that famous food-and-drink-related line in Act III, Scene 2: I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.