Tips for Attending The Ohio Renaissance Festival 2024

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is an annual event in the fall each year in southern Ohio, 45 minutes from Cincinnati. Festival guests are transported back in time while they explore the 30-acre recreated 16th-century English Village.

There are plenty of things to do while you’re there with 50 shows, 153 daily performances, 22 stages, 166 unique arts and artisan shops, and 9 themed weekends. The hardest part is narrowing down all of your options.

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is a fun adventure for Lords and Ladies of all ages.

I’m sharing more about what to expect at the Ohio Renaissance Fair and tips before you go.

I was given tickets for review and giveaway purposes. All opinions are my own. This article contains affiliate links.

When is The Ohio Renaissance Festival 2024?

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is on Weekends and Labor Day- August 31 – October 27, 2024.

What are the Hours for The Ohio Renaissance Festival?

The hours for the Ohio Renaissance Festival are 10:30 AM — 7:00 PM.

How to Save Money on Tickets to The Ohio Renaissance Festival

The online rates for The Ohio Rennaisance can save you $3 off adult tickets and $2 off children’s tickets compared to ticket prices at the gate.

Kids 4 and under are FREE.

If you plan on visiting the festival multiple weekends you may want to consider purchasing a season pass.

Discounts are available for seniors 65+ and Military/Police/Fire/EMS at the ticket booth only.

If you pay at the ticket booth, there is a 3.5% fee if you use a credit card.

Senior Citizens Get A Free Drink

Seniors can show their ID at the Information Booth to receive one free beverage, a complimentary soda, tea, bottled water, or coffee.

(New This Year ) Buy Before You Go – Limited Entry

The Ohio Ren Fest is reducing its daily capacity this year so you’ll want to purchase tickets in advance.

If you purchase a ticket in advance it’ll guarantee entry into the festival on a specific date.

Season Pass holders, Day Adult ticket holders, Child tickets, and Complimentary Pass holders will receive guaranteed admission.

Once the capacity is reached, the ticket booth and online sales will close. Front gates will remain open for pre-purchase ticket holders to enter.

What Time Should You Get to the Ohio Renaissance Festival?

To make the most out of your experience I would try to get there early. Sundays tend to have lighter crowds than Saturdays.

Tickets can be purchased online or at a ticket booth near the entrance.

Printing or taking screenshots of your tickets is recommended because cell phone reception can be weak at the festival. Online tickets must be printed at home or be available for scanning on your mobile device as a screenshot.

Parking at the Ohio Renaissance Festival

The parking lot opens at 9:30, and the gate opens at 10:30.

Parking is free and there is a designated area for anyone with special needs.

Is the Ohio Renaissance Festival Accessible?

Most of the vendors have accessible ramps and there are accessible stalls at all bathroom locations.

The pathways are gravel and the terrain could be challenging for someone pushing a wheelchair. Mobility scooters are not available for rent at this time.

Plan Your Day Around The Entertainment at The Ohio Rennaisance Festival

There is so much great entertainment at the Ohio Renaissance Festival with over 100 shows daily. The biggest challenge is deciding which show to see next.

Many shows have multiple time slots throughout the day and some show times may overlap. 

You can check out the entertainment ahead of time on an interactive map online. There are also paper maps at the entrance when you arrive.

The stages are pretty spread out so you’ll want to allow for some travel time in the crowds between the shows.

It’s hard to pick a favorite show but a few of the MUST SEE shows/ high-energy highlights in my opinion are:

• The Fully Armored Joust – real knights doing 3 jousting tournaments a day (be on the lookout for Queen Elizabeth)
• The Kamikaze Fireflies – one of our favorite shows with comedy skits and creative stunts
• Cincinnati Barbarians – pictured MMA with real armor- it gets intense but it’s fun to watch
• Wheel of Death – death-defying danger on the wheel

Younger kids will love cheering on their favorite knight during the joust and laughing at the Pirate Stunt show performed on a pirate ship stage.

The street magicians are also fun to see. The pickle vendor is hilarious if you catch his one-liners with the customers.

Several musical acts perform throughout the day. The couple with a bagpipe and drums are worth checking out near the pub.

Arrive Early for a Good Seat for the Popular Shows

The fully armored joust is worth arriving early for a good seat with a better view. We arrived 30 minutes early for front-row seats.

If you have smaller kids you may want to have one person hold seats while the other walks around before the joust starts.

The Mudde Show is also a show to arrive early for good seats. If you’re sitting too far back, you’ll miss most of the context because your view is obstructed and harder to hear.

If you want to be close to the action in the ring, arrive early for the Cincinnati Barbarians too.

Most performers work for tips so you might want to bring some extra cash to support some of your favorite performers throughout the day.

Try the Ohio Renaissance Festival Food

One of the best parts of the Ohio Renaissance Festival is always trying all the delicious foods.

A few popular festival foods are the giant turkey legs, bread bowls, and Dole whip soft-serve ice cream. There are plenty of hearty food options to fill you up.

 The Turkey leg can feed 2-3 people and the bread bowls can also easily be shareable. 

You can’t go wrong with a pretzel or a large pickle if you want a snack.

If you want to avoid long food lines eat around noon before the first joust ends at 1pm.

You can see the full list of festival food and drink options here.

What Should You Wear to the Ohio Renaissance Festival?

You should wear whatever you are comfortable with. A lot of the festival attendees do dress up.

In fact, the people-watching is spectacular. There are really creative costumes and countless characters to observe during your day of medieval fun.

If you don’t want to dress up that is totally fine too. There are also plenty of vendors where you can purchase a few pieces while you are there. The elf ears are a popular accessory.

There are lots of Renaissance-themed costumes available online including elf ears.

If you arrive at the beginning of the Ohio Renaissance Festival you may want to dress in layers because it can get warm on a beautiful fall day. It can also get dusty so plan your footwear accordingly.

There are both permanent and portable bathrooms located throughout the festival. I highly suggest a permanent bathroom for anyone wearing a more elaborate costume.

Are There Things For Kids to Do at the Ohio Renaissance Festival?

You’ll find many children-centric vendors along Urchin Alley between the Revelers Stage and the Mudde Show.

There are creative human-powered rides that little lords and ladies will enjoy and games of skill that appeal to all ages.

More Kid-Centric Entertainment at the Ohio Renaissance Festival

• Birds of Prey – Midwest Falconry
• Cincinnati Barbarians
• Court Dance (This is interactive!)
• Ebeneezer Grumpypants
• Eight Hands Round Village Dance (This is interactive!)
• Fairy Playtime (This is interactive!)
• Full Armored Joust
• Human Combat Chess Match
• Knighting Ceremony (This is interactive!)
• Meet the Mermaids
• Pirate Playtime (This is interactive!)
• Pirate Stunt Show
• Royal Procession

Mini Adventures at The Ohio Renaissance Festival

Many free games and quests for all ages are lesser-known hidden gems at the Ohio Renaissance Festival.

• Viking Trade Game – every festival day (kid-friendly)
• Fairy Playtime – Every festival day, 12:30 PM (kid-friendly)
• Pirate Playtime – Every festival day, 2:30 PM (kid-friendly)
• Mass Vow Renewal – October 12 & 13, 1 PM
• Pumpkin Vs. Watermelon War – October 19 & 20, 5 PM
• IWG Local 73 Wench Collecting – every festival day

I would recommend learning more about these mini adventures ahead of time to make the most of your visit.

Take Home a Unique Souvenir

You can take home one-of-a-kind souvenirs from unique shops with world-class artisans throughout the festival.

Create a one-of-kind piece of art with one of the world-class glassblowers, select a gift created by leather tooling, unique swords, and more!

Special Themed Weekends at The Ohio Renaissance Festival

There are special-themed weekends from 10:30 AM to 7 PM.

• Fantasy Weekend – September 7-8, 2024 “All things fantastical come to life this weekend! Join the Witches of Willy Nilly and the fairies as they enchant the village. “
• Pirates Weekend – September 14-15, 2024 “Celebrate International Talk like a Pirate Day all weekend! Rollicking sea shanties, a giant Pirate ship, and Pirate Play Time await ye landlubbers!”
• Highland Weekend – September 21-22, 2024 “Lads and lassies, the pipes are calling for you to join the celebration of Highland heritage. It’ll be a real fling with themed competitions, bagpipes, haggis, and more!” 
• Time Travelers Weekend – September 28-29, 2024 “Dress as your favorite character inspired by a movie, TV series, comic book, sci-fi, or fantasy work. Everyone is welcome!” There is a costume contest too!
• Viking Weekend – October 5-6, 2024 “Gather your horde and raid the village!”
• Romance Weekend – October 12-13, 2024 “Celebrate Sweetest Day with us!  Hearts a-fire as couples renew their vows in a free Mass Renewal of Vows Ceremony held at St. Peter’s Chapel.”
• Feast of Fools – October 19-20, 2024 “It’s okay to be foolish this weekend! The village is filled with fools of all sizes and their foolish antics. PLUS it’s Pumpkin Vs. Watermelon Wars!”
• Heroes and Young Adventurers – October 26-27, 2024 This weekend kids ages 12 and under get free admission! Additionally, we’re honoring our military and first responders with a $3 discount on admission AT THE TICKET BOOTH. Bring the whole family for a magical weekend of fun and adventure!

What’s New at The Ohio Renaissance Festival in 2024?

Wine Tasting this year in the Noble Nook from 3 PM – 4 PM.

$40 includes tastes of 5 savory wines (2 whites, 2 reds, and 1 Rose) rotating throughout the season.

Where is the Ohio Renaissance Festival Located?

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is at 10542 East State Route 73, Waynesville, OH 45068.

Discounts on Hotels and Vacation Rentals Near The Ohio Rennaisance Festival

Save and compare prices on nearby hotels and vacation rentals.

Places to Stay in Highland County Ohio (Includes discount)

4 Ticket Giveaway to the Ohio Renaissance Festival

I’m giving away 4 tickets to the Ohio Renaissance Festival. The tickets will be held at the will call.

*Children 4 and under are FREE.

Looking for Another Warren County Adventure?

Caesar Creek State Park is only 3.1 miles away.

You can also try these adventures in Highland County, Ohio less than 1 hour away.

• Great Places to Eat in Highland County, Ohio
• Ohio Road Trip Getaway- 1.5 hrs from Cincinnati and Columbus

Need an Excuse to Come Back to The Ohio Rennaisance Festival?

You’ll want to check out Yuletide Village at Rennaisance Park, on Fridays and Saturdays from late November to mid-December.