The “Tricks or Treats” weekend from the 2022 Ohio Renaissance Festival. Credit: Courtesy of the Ohio Renaissance Festival marketing team
For Ohio State students, Halloween frights consist of looming deadlines and spine-chilling midterms. But those seeking a day away from the stress can find escape at the Ohio Renaissance Festival.
A nine-week event with a different theme each weekend, the Ohio Renaissance Festival — which has operated for over 30 years — brings the Renaissance period to life in Harveysburg, Ohio, Renaissance Park marketing director Cheryl Bucholtz said. This weekend, titled “Tricks or Treats,” will serve as the finale of this year’s festival.
Live shows, food and drink vendors and “a treasure trove” of Halloween surprises will accompany “Tricks or Treats” weekend, according to the festival’s website. David Smith, the fair’s entertainment director, said a main feature of the weekend will be the opportunity for attendees to trick or treat around the festival’s mock village.
“We provide all the vendors in the village with candy so that kids can have a safe environment to go from place to place, dressed as their favorite little ghoul or goblin —or whatever they wish to be — and collect candy from the vendors,” Smith said.
Though “Tricks or Treats” weekend is family-friendly in nature, Bucholtz said guests of all ages can experience some Halloween magic.
“For college students in particular, we do offer a pub crawl around our festival site,” Bucholtz said. “We also have an ale trail that you can do on your own, kind of a self-guided tour kind of thing.”
During last year’s “Tricks or Treats” weekend, guests were “treated” to an unexpected visit by the headless horseman; this year, Bucholtz said attendees can look forward to similar surprises.
Smith said all performers, from horse-mounted archers to wandering musicians, do their best to create an experience that is highly immersive, he said.
“It’s something more interactive than just sitting down, watching TV or going to a movie,” Smith said. “The experience of being in the interactive and teaching actors how to talk to people as they come in. I think it’s a missing skill, but it’s something that’s big.”
Smith said “Trick or Treats” weekend will boast numerous dining options, ensuring visitors can stay on the grounds all day without going hungry.
The festival’s staple dish, a medieval-style turkey leg, will be available for purchase at several of the park’s kitchen areas, Smith said. Bucholtz said a “royal feast,” which is a five-course meal that includes a complimentary show and collector’s mug, is also on the menu.
As a whole, the festival is an opportunity for people to embrace their inner child, Smith said.
“Just bring your sense of fun,” Smith said. “Come out and enjoy everything there is to see.”
More information about “Tricks or Treats” weekend, including how to purchase tickets, can be found on the Ohio Renaissance Festival’s website.
