It’s more than just geeks dressing up in the woods, Although that is one of the best parts😉
I’m going to share some of the must-do activities and must-see shows at the renaissance festival. If you were on the fence about attending, you’ll be ready to go shout for your favorite jouster and rip into a turkey leg by the time you finish reading this.
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I have been going to the Renaissance festival since I was 10 years old. That means for almost every year for the last 18 years I’ve spent a day in Harveysburg Ohio having the time of my life. I can confidently say this trip is fun for all ages and has one of the most talented, creative, and welcoming communities of any event I’ve ever been to. The festival runs weekends and Labor Day, this year from September 3rd – October 30th.
As a 10-year-old I remember being given a rose, getting to try “unicorn lotion”, being serenaded, getting covered in mud, learning about medieval times, riding man-operated rides that seemed impossible, watching shows in wide eyed wander, and most importantly laughing a lot.
This year as a 28-year-old I watched the Mud Show for at least the 15th time, enjoyed cirque du soleil level feats, admired the artistry and craft of weavers, dancers, singers, and black smiths, screamed for my favorite jouster, and devoured a turkey leg.
It. Never. Gets. Old.
In fact, every year the event seems to expand, adding more shows, more shops, and more amazing food and drink. Here are some of my absolute must-see (and why) when you visit the Ohio Renaissance Festival:
The Mud Show – Spoofs on classic literary shows preformed in a mud pit by grown men. It’s dirty, it’s hilarious, and its entertaining for all ages. Don’t worry you can opt for front row seats to get in on the action or sit farther back and preserve your outfit. I highly recommend Beowulf and The Viking Show.
Circa Brava – A cirque style ariel show with talent and humor that you can’t miss if you want to gasp in awe at an amazing and humorous performance.
The Full Armored Joust – Jousts take place 3 times a day and are completely unchoreographed. Your section of seating will be given a champion to cheer on and you will be taught memorable phrases used to shake your opponent’s confidence. May the best knight win!
The Wheel Walker – Ichabod Wainwright challenges death on a giant spinning wheel that he adds sharp objects and fire to. This is a newer addition to the festival and a must see! Ichabod also continues his dangerous acts with a Blade of Death show.
The Swordsmen – Dirk and Guido put on a show full of sharp swords and sharper wit, they are staple of the festival and can be found on the Swordsmen’s Stage of course!
Man-Powered Children’s Rides – These are located throughout the park and as a kid and a thrill seeker I thought it was incredible to see how one single man can power incredibly fun rides.
Turkey Legs from Rose and Crown – Located on Wanderer’s way full of shops and restaurants, find turkey legs and other assortments of food here. Everyone needs a turkey leg! But they’re really big, thankfully my husband shares with me every year.
The Aleing Knight Pub – One of my favorite places to grab a drink and listen to live entertainment, unfortunately it does tend to be crowded, there are plenty of other pub spots to avoid the crows.
The Royal Feast – I have not done this yet, it’s a fairly new offering, but it looks incredible! I will be trying this out next year when we stay for a full weekend. The royal feast requires an additional ticket outside of admission but you get a 5-course meal, drinks, a keepsake pint glass, and of course entertainment!
There is so much more than the above offered at the fair, and still things I haven’t tried yet. Here is a map of the park to give you an idea of just how much there is going on:
Or visit their website: www.renfestival.com and choose “The Event” to look through all the festival has to offer.
Oh, and for all the people like me who despise port-a-pots, I can only speak for the women’s, but there are fully functioning clean bathrooms that, while looking port-a-pot-like on the outside, actually flush and provide running water to wash your hands! It’s a small detail, but an important one, because you’ll want to spend your entire day here.
Common Questions About The Ohio Renaissance Festival:
Should I arrive as soon as it opens? The opening ceremony is fun but it isn’t a must-see, in fact arriving after 11 could save you time in parking traffic and lines depending on the day. The good folks at the Ren Fest are always working hard to make the experience better and as of this year they amped up parking, opened more ways to enter the village, and parking is free now! If you do want to be apart of the opening ceremony (usually 10:30) I would recommend arriving around 9:30-9:45 to be able to get up to the front so you can hear the queen and have time to interact with the performers.
When is the best time to buy tickets? Follow Ohio Renaissance Festival on Facebook or Instagram, about 30 days before opening weekend they will run a sale on tickets. Buy them when they are on sale, and the best part is they’re good for any day the entirety of the fair, so buying early doesn’t lock you into a weekend.
When is the best weekend to go? Each weekend is themed, so you’ll get a slightly different experience in terms of small events or costumes most attendees are wearing, but otherwise there isn’t much difference. In my experience opening weekend is the most crowded, and Saturdays are usually more crowded than Sundays. I have the best luck with coolest weather (there is a lot of direct sunlight at the faire) and least crowding during weekends in October.
Do I have to dress up? Absolutely not! I would say, as I wander the park, it’s about 50/50 of people in street clothes or in dress. And of the 50% in costumes not everyone dresses in full regalia, there is a lot of variety. As I said before, this is one of the most fun and friendly communities so dress up or don’t, you will have a great time either way! If you get in the spirit while you are there you will have a myriad of vendors to purchase items from as well.
Is the renaissance festival only in Ohio? Absolutely not! There are different renaissance festivals in every state, I’ve only been to the one in Ohio (so far!) but I’ve been told the following are some of the best in the country. These are in no particular order and dates are as of 2022, bear in mind most festivals are weekends only:
Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission, TX (10/8 – 11/27)
Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, MD (08/27 – 10/23)
New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo Park, NY (8/27 – 10/09)
Scarborough Renaissance Festival hosted in Waxahachie, TX (04/08 – 05/29)
The Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha, WI (07/09 – 09/05)
Arizona Renaissance Festival in Gold Canyon, AZ (02/04 – 04/02)
Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee, MN (08/20 – 10/02)
Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, NC (10/1 – 11/20)
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in Manheim, PA (08/20 – 10/30)
And of course, The Ohio Renaissance Festival in Harvesyburg, OH (9/3 – 10/30)
I’m always looking for renaissance festivals to go to on my travels, especially in spring and fall when the weather is the nicest to costume up and spend a day meandering around. If I missed one above, tell me all about it, my email is [email protected].
Andy and I are toying with doing a Renaissance Festival Road Trip, so I’m in the works making a plan for one next year. If that sounds interesting to you, or if you just want me to help you plan the best road trip ever, I have general plans and offerings here but I always customize these to your preferences so never fear, no generic plans are going to be emailed to you!
Thanks for sticking around while I geeked out today,
Taysia