The ORF Blog

August 28, 2025

One bright day, before the Queen’s own royal procession, the Great Wizard Merlin’s wandering laboratory clattered into the town of Willy-Nilly on the Wash. Merlin appeared in the square with a jangle of bells and a wide grin. “This place overflows with magic already!” he told a curious village girl. “Look there—a blacksmith shaping raw […]

August 13, 2025

Ready for nine weeks of fun and adventure? As the Ohio Renaissance Festival puts the finishing touches for the 2025 season, we are geared up to provide an experience for the whole family. It’s no surprise that many of you want to know: “What shows are appropriate for my kid?” Great question! While ren faires […]

July 23, 2025

“I had never been before and absolutely loved it! My favorite groups are always Father Son and Friends and Albannach (they were fabulous, as always). SCYTHIAN! They were so kind and their music is just the best combo of Celtic, pop and bluegrass. Partook in several drinks at the Ailing Knight Pub…I highly recommend the snake bite! Weather […]

July 9, 2025

Prepare to don your finest medieval garb, gather your loved ones, and journey back to the enchanting village of Willy‑Nilly‑on‑the‑Wash — the Ohio Renaissance Festival awaits! From the moment you pass through the gates of the 16th-century village, you’re swept into a world filled with laughter, magic, and unforgettable memories. Running every weekend from August […]

June 18, 2025

In a world dominated by digital interactions and virtual experiences, the Cincinnati Siege 2025 stands as a testament to the enduring allure of physical prowess, camaraderie, and the timeless spirit of chivalry. This premier armored combat tournament, held from May 23 to May 25 at the Ohio Renaissance Festival Park in Waynesville, Ohio, offers spectators […]

June 11, 2025

From the clang of steel in a joust to the aroma of roasted turkey legs wafting through the air, renaissance festivals capture our imagination like few events can. Across the country, renaissance festivals enchant millions of visitors each year, transporting them to a world of fantasy, history, and immersive fun. Whether it’s your first time […]

April 16, 2025

The idea of the renaissance brings to mind two sorts of meals; the lavish affairs of the court in which hedonistic amounts of food were heaped before royalty, and the simple gruellike porridge that the peasantry had to be satiated with. However, we know that even the poorest of peasants did their best to bulk […]

February 12, 2025

“A wicked design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his Will, and to overthrow the Rights and Liberties of the People’. In carrying out this strategy, he had ‘traitorously and maliciously levied war against the present Parliament and the people therein represented.”– One of the accusations […]

January 28, 2025

“Would you be pleased to find a nation of such barbarous temper that, breaking out in hideous violence, would not afford you an abode on earth … What would you think to be thus used? This is the strangers’ case, and this your mountainish inhumanity.”Sir Thomas More, William Shakespeare St.Bartholomews Day Massacre In 1572, Margaret, […]

December 25, 2024

Stories. A man waits among his peerage, eager to distinguish himself before his king. His opportunity arises in the form of a man of green, neither friend nor foe, but a tester of men from beyond the boundaries of the church. He is tall, his raiment one of fine embroidery despite his leafy personage. He […]