This past weekend, we visited the Ohio Renn Fest for the first time in many years.
This big, festive and chaotic event is like a mash-up of fantasy and history. It happens every weekend during the summer and early fall and is located on 30 acres in Harveysburg, which is about midway between Dayton and Cincinnati.
Ohio Renn Fest is a simulated 16th-century English village where visitors can shop, people-watch, eat and enjoy themed entertainment. But it is not for everyone.
In fact, it can be quite polarizing. We know some people who love Renn Fest and a few who hate it.
There are many reasons to like Ohio’s Renn Fest – and a few to avoid it. Here are my lists.
Things we love about Ohio Renn Fest
- Freedom to dress up in any way you like. If you’re a person who likes cosplay, dressing up or wearing costumes of almost any kind, then you may love Renn Fest. Pretty much anything goes here as long as it’s predominantly kid-friendly; I will say not all would consider the outfits at Renn Fest kid-friendly as there’s typically a lot of flesh and weaponry and so forth. You will see pirates, elves, cavemen, busty wenches, faeries, queens, noblemen, Dothraki, knights and so much more. Some might call it a freak show, but personally, I’ve always loved how inclusive and welcoming Renn Fest is in this regard.
- Epic people-watching. Because of the crowd’s propensity for dressing in themed garb, the people-watching here is next-level. We saw little kids dressed as dragons and adults costumed as just about anything you can imagine from the fantasy realm. I hadn’t been to Renn Fest since HBO’s Game of Thrones, so I was surprised to see so many cosplayers from that world. There are themed weekends where you might see more of a particular type of costume, from pirates to Vikings to royalty. In general, though, the crowd here always puts on a show and most folks are happy to be photographed if you ask nicely.
- Unique food items. Although Renn Fest gets a bad rap for being expensive, there are many unique foods here and a wonderful variety to please any palate. The most iconic Renn Fest food item may be its enormous turkey legs, but they have added many new items including a crepe stall, vegan falafel stand, charcuterie on a stick and so much more. There are also drinks galore, from water bottles to ale, mead and beer. Be sure to bring cash and lots of it!
- Fun shopping. One of my favorite things to do at Renn Fest is always browsing the shops. There are many unique craftspeople and artisans peddling their wares or showing their skills. There are also many places to buy costumes of all kinds, as well as jewelry, leather goods, crystals, fiber arts, weaponry, and more. If you decide that the Renn Fest life is for you, you can have a lot of fun purchasing costume items and accessories so you can truly dress the part on your next visit.
Things we don’t love about Ohio Renn Fest
- The crowds. Like any popular attraction, Renn Fest can become very crowded with long lines for food and entertainment. Our family typically avoids places with a lot of people, and Renn Fest has gained in popularity since our last visit many years ago, so the intensity of the crowds was a bit of a shock to us. We would have enjoyed it a lot more if it weren’t quite so overwhelmingly – and at times unbearably – overcrowded. I’m not sure what the solution might be – possibly timed entry?
- The heat. This just kind of comes with the territory as an outdoor, summer event, but we could have used a bit more shade. The Renn Fest village is pretty much an open field and the heat, crowds and dust made for a slightly uncomfortable experience. Again, I don’t have a solution here as I know it’s supposed to be a rustic, 16th-century village so it’s not like they can pave the paths. Just know you may end up hot, sweaty and coughing in a cloud of dust. I suppose a bit of rain might have helped, but then we’d probably complain about the mud and being wet!
- The restroom facilities. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I was born in a modern world because I would not have been able to deal with primitive privies. I am not an outhouse girl! The Renn Fest facilities are a bit too close to “roughing it” for my liking. You know it’s bad when people prefer to use the port-a-potties outside the main entrance. As for me, I’ll hold it until we get back on the highway and find a nice clean Bob Evans, thanks.
- The price. We alluded to this above, but it’s worth mentioning here, too. At $30 a ticket, plus fairly high prices for food and drinks, this is not an inexpensive day. If they could somehow keep the crowds down, add some shade and possibly build a sparkling clean ladies’ room, I might not balk at the cost as much. That said, clearly there are a ton of costumed characters, performers and artisans here, and I realize they need to be paid for their time. It’s just hard to swallow a high price for such primitive conditions.
I hate to be a complainer but it looks like we simply don’t have what it takes to be Renn Fest people. It’s a bummer, too, because I do love the dressing up and people-watching aspect here!
Maybe I need to try going back with a group of friends and dressing to the nines – that might increase my enjoyment factor. Or, perhaps Renn Fest should host an indoor wintertime ball where everyone could dress in their favorite costumes but without the sweaty, dusty conditions. Now that’s a great idea if I do say so myself.
What do you think – are you a Renn Fest lover or hater? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
