The 10 Best Things To Do At The Ohio Renaissance Festival

Ready to step back in time to a 16th-century English village?

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is one of the best things about fall in Ohio. The festival is a day in the life of a 16th-century English villager, including full-armored jousting, Renaissance musicians, dancers, comedians, jugglers, sword-fighters, storytellers and hundreds of costumed performers entertain patrons.

Is it perfectly historically accurate? Absolutely not. Is it one of the best things you’ll ever do in Ohio? Without a doubt.

2026 dates, hours and tickets

Date-specific tickets are cheapest early in the run: $33 plus fees for September 5 to 7 and September 13, $36 plus fees for September 12, 19 to 20 and 26 to 27, and $39 plus fees for every October date. Popular dates do sell out, and the adult season pass already has.

2026 themed weekends

Every weekend has a theme, and the costumes in the crowd follow it. The full rundown is on the festival’s themed weekends page.

In general, walking around the Ohio Renaissance Festival is a good time. But with the 2023 addition of a 5-acre space, the Whimsy Woods, there’s so much more space to roam. If you’re hoping to get out of the sun and into the shade, this is the area to head, as there are plenty of big old trees and rolling green hills to relax on.

There are artisans, vendors, tons to eat and drink, and plenty of opportunities to feel like you’re really a part of this village.

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is located in Warren County. It’s only about an hour drive from Columbus, and now that USA Today readers have voted it the best renaissance festival in the country, it can get a little crowded. You’ll probably want to purchase your tickets in advance, and there’s a chance it might sell out, so be sure to check out their website for updates.

You should definitely plan to arrive a little early, as the line to get in can get long. You’ll also want to have a full day for exploration. If you’d like to save a little money by packing a lunch, you totally can, but it will need to be left in your car.

To leave the park and head back to your vehicle, be sure to grab a hand stamp at the gate so you can come back in.

Know before you go

Outside food and drink are not allowed in, which is why the packed lunch stays in the car. Parking is free and the lot opens around 9:30 a.m., an hour before the gate. Cell signal on the grounds gets weak on busy days, so screenshot your ticket before you leave home and carry some cash as a backup even though most vendors take cards. Jousts run at 12:30, 3 and 5:30 every festival day at the Guinness Arena of Champions, and the festival’s own advice is to eat before the first one lets out at 1 p.m.

Wondering how exactly you’ll spend your whole day? We’ve got some suggestions.

Eat a turkey leg

There is, perhaps, no more iconic item of food available at the Renaissance festival than a giant turkey leg. Pro tip: grab yours before the joust begins, because afterward, the line will be very, very long. The first joust lets out at 1 p.m., and the festival itself says to eat before then.

Go on a medieval pub crawl

When your whole party has made it through the front gates, kick things off by visiting the various drinking establishments around the village. You don’t have to take my advice on the pub crawl order, but I can’t recommend ending the night at the 3 Fools Pub enough. It’s a swell atmosphere and you’ll 100% feel like a character in a movie. The festival also runs its own guided Pub Crawl at 1:30 and 3:30 daily, on a separate ticket.

Practice your archery skills

If you’ve ever wondered if you’ve got what it takes to join Robin Hood’s merry men, head to the games area and try a little archery. The instructors are helpful and they stay in character the whole time, which just adds to the experience.

Watch an actual joust

Okay so I mentioned the joust before, but we didn’t go into detail. This isn’t some choreographed pretend joust. This is real people on real horses, charging at each other with actual lances. You can pay $10 extra for a cushioned seat under the covered stand (it comes with a drink and a gold crown), but I personally enjoyed slumming it with my fellow commoners. Jousts run at 12:30, 3 and 5:30 every festival day.

Heckle Queen Elizabeth

Okay so full disclosure, I don’t actually know what would happen if you heckle the queen. But she does walk through the park with her massive entourage throughout the festival, so it wouldn’t be hard to find out!

Climb to the top of the 25-foot Castle Tower

If archery isn’t your thing, maybe scaling a tower is! You can definitely give it a shot on the 25-foot castle tower climb. Or if like me you feel a little spooked by heights, you can cheer on any of your brave companions from the safety of the ground. The tower sits in the games area with the archery and axe throw.

Drink things out of a horn

There are lots of vendors selling lots of things, but if you only buy one thing at the festival, let it be a hollowed-out horn. You can buy them for drinking or blowing, or a combo of both, and there’s just something about drinking beer out of one of these things that elevates the whole Renaissance festival experience.

Enjoy some live music

There is live music everywhere throughout the village. Just follow the sounds of bagpipes or drums and see where they take you.

Do a little shopping

One thing I definitely wasn’t prepared for on my first visit was just how much money I would want to spend. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re going on a budget you can have a fantastic time pretty cheaply. But if you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your satchel, you will be pleasantly surprised. From armor and cloaks to weapons and jewelry, you can find so many amazing souvenirs at the various vendors throughout the village.

Warm up with a spiced mead

The festival is open into early November, which can definitely get a little chilly. I’m convinced that there is no better way to warm yourself up than by partaking in a cup (or two) of spiced mead. Truly, you’ll feel warm and fuzzy almost immediately.

The Ohio Renaissance Festival runs weekends plus Labor Day, September 5 through November 1. To start planning your trip, please visit www.renfestival.com.

Read Next

Fall In Love With Central Ohio’s Best Fall FestivalsThe Adult Book Fair At Land-Grant Is the Nostalgia Trip We’ve Been Waiting ForBank Run Metro Park’s New Event Center Is Now Open, And It’s Unlike Any Metro Park Yet