The Shakespeare Theatre's Free for All is perhaps this DCist's favorite thing about summer in the city. Sure, blistering 90 degree days stuck in rush hour traffic are also a highlight, but nothing compares to seeing a little bit of Shakespeare in the park.

This year, the Shakespeare Theatre presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream," from May 26-June 5, at the beautiful Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park, with original direction by Mark Lamos. According to another DCist contributor (who saw the play during its regular run at the downtown theater) this is "the best staging of this play you will ever see in your entire life," so really, you should go.

The Free for All experience can be wonderfully ideal but it takes planning, time, effort and punctuality. If not handled properly it can, like many events in D.C., turn into a total nightmare of traffic, noisy patrons and bad smells. We've seen a slew of Free for All productions, and here are some tips to make your experience a good one.

Free for All Essentials:
Tickets are only given out on the day of the performance. Individuals can only get up to four free tickets at the following locations.

The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW
Tuesdays through Fridays ONLY beginning at 8:30 .am.
1 1/2 block north of the McPherson Square metrorail station

The Shakespeare Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW
Tuesdays through Sundays beginning at noon.
1 1/2 blocks north of the Archives/Navy Memorial metrorail station and one block south of the Gallery Place/Chinatown metrorail Station.

The Carter Barron Amphitheatre Box Office,
16th Street at Colorado Avenue NW (the S-series buses on 16th Street go there)
Tuesdays through Sundays beginning at noon.

A limited number of online tickets will also be available.

We've done this in the past and people will wait in line for hours for anything if it's free. Try going mid week to cut down on time spent in line and with crowds.

Getting to Rock Creek Park is something of a hassle also. Traffic tends to pile up early so give yourself ample amounts of time to make it into your seat by the curtain time, which is 7:30 p.m. Again, they're not kidding. The curtain promptly goes up then.

With tickets in hand, your car safely parked, you're now prepared to wait in line, again. The actual line to enter the amphitheatre can get long too. There are no assigned seats, so really it's a mad dash for the best seats in the house. We suggest sitting anywhere in the center, even if it's way in the back, before you look into the side sections.

Ideally, DCist recommends that you make a day out of it. Get the tickets early, pack a nice picnic, and enjoy it before or while you wait for the curtain to go up. And don't foget the bug spray. A little Off! goes a long way when you're sitting outside for a three hour play. So go, have fun, and tell us about it when you get back!