Oregon Shakespeare Festival

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Arts & CultureAshland
DatesDates TBA · Usually MarchCheck locally before booking
DurationSpringEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsOSF grew out of Ashland's abandoned
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland

Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a repertory theatre company in Ashland, Oregon, founded in 1935 by Angus Bowmer, presenting a rotating season of plays across three venues: the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre and the indoor Angus Bowmer and Thomas Theatres. The season stretches across much of the year, mixing Shakespeare with contemporary and commissioned work, and draws roughly 350,000 to 400,000 visitors annually to this small Southern Oregon university town near the California border.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival traces its origin to 1893, when Ashland residents built a Chautauqua facility that hosted touring lecturers and performers, including John Philip Sousa and William Jennings Bryan, during ten-day annual seasons.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

OSF grew out of Ashland's abandoned Chautauqua building, whose roofless circular walls reminded Southern Oregon University drama professor Angus Bowmer of an Elizabethan theatre

02

The mystery stays covered

City leaders loaned him up to 400 dollars in 1935 to stage two plays for Independence Day, on condition he add boxing matches to cover any losses

03

The city starts moving

the plays turned a profit and the boxing lost money

04

The water draws everyone in

OSF has completed Shakespeare's full 37-play canon four times, in 1958, 1978, 1997, and 2016, and NBC broadcast its performances nationally from 1951 to 1973

05

The old stones answer

It has won a Tony Award for outstanding regional theatre and helped launch Portland Center Stage

06

Revelation 6

Each outdoor season closes with a candlelit ceremony reciting Prospero's farewell speech from The Tempest, a tradition dating to 1952

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

OSF's signature ritual is the candlelight ceremony that closes each outdoor season: company members carry candles into the darkened Allen Elizabethan Theatre to the tune of Greensleeves while one actor recites Prospero's closing speech from The Tempest

Water and renewal

Living ritual

a practice begun in 1952

The sacred route

Living ritual

The season traditionally opens with the Feast of Will in Lithia Park

The local code

Living ritual

started in 1956

Tradition 5

Living ritual

the free pre-show Green Show has offered a nightly ritual of music and dance for ticket holders and passersby alike

Tradition 6

Living ritual

evolving from Renaissance-themed performances into a broader mix of global genres

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually March

Getting around

For Oregon Shakespeare Festival, plan transport around the exact Ashland venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Ashland sits in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, so days can be warm while evenings turn cool even in summer, making layers essential, especially for the outdoor Allen Elizabethan...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Oregon Shakespeare Festival, stay near the part of Ashland you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map37.69 N, 122.11 WOpen in Google Maps

Ashland, OR

Nearest airportOAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland
TransportFor Oregon Shakespeare Festival, plan transport around the exact Ashland venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Oregon Shakespeare Festival, stay near the part of Ashland you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Ashland via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Ashland, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for March.Compare faresFestival gearAshland sits in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, so days can be warm while evenings turn cool even in summer, making layers essential, especially for the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre, where seating is exposed to wind and occasional smoke from regional wildfires in late summer. A light jacket or blanket for night performances, closed-toe shoes for walking the hilly campus and Lithia Park, and rain-ready gear in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall are all worth packing.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Oregon Shakespeare Festival?

Oregon Shakespeare Festival is listed for March · Spring. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Oregon Shakespeare Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Ashland, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Spring is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Ashland, OR

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually March
Source statusNeeds editorial review
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