Participants and attendees celebrate the Ashville Viking Festival
The annual medieval and renaissance festival focusing on Vikings returns this weekend to northern Pickaway County. The “Ashville Viking Festival” features everything from hands-on historical education and authentic culture, to fantasy cosplay and fun for all ages, and more – in the town’s park, today and tomorrow.
Crafts, food, music and performances, encampments, and a few battles fill most of 10-acre Ashville Community Park in what I like to characterize as the Scioto Valley’s ‘mini-ren fair’ in a charming small town north of Circleville.
The joust!
See the Scioto Post’s preview of the festival, and watch my below video reports from last year, to preview this year:
- A short montage of action and sights on the Sunday of the Ashville Viking Festival on April 27th, 2025.
- One of the leaders of the “Vikings of Vulksgaard” from Austinburg, Ohio, explains their group while being part of the 2025 Ashville Viking Festival.
- One of the leaders of the “Lost Viking’s Hoard,” Nancy Vallette, explains the group that created the Ashville Viking Festival, and more, at the event’s end in 2025.
The festival is 10 to 6 on Saturday, April 25th, and 10 to 5 Sunday, April 26, 2026. You can navigate to 90 Walnut Street in Ashville, but the city-block-sized park is accessible on all sides with several parking lots, plus street parking.
Testing the blade
Admission is free with a donation of non-perishable food items or a monetary gift to the Ashville Food Pantry. Find the festival’s website and Facebook page.
Find the article on the Scioto Post.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.
Recreated helms on display
A short montage of action and sights on the Sunday of the 2025 Ashville Viking Festival.
One of the leaders of a re-enactment group explains their roles while being part of the 2025 festival.
One of the leaders of the group that created the Ashville Viking Festival.
Colorful dancing