Run Oregon Road Trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Run Oregon loves running – that’s no surprise. But we also love the Pacific Northwest and all that it has to offer. Running is a part of us, but it does not fully define us. In our new “Make a Day of It” feature, we aim to showcase some great local non-running events and highlight where to run and how to make the most of your experience! The next installment of this series is the Ashland’s Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

“Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.” – William Shakespeare

“Lovers ever run before the clock” – William Shakespeare

First the running:

Here are a few local races to check out for your next runcation:

• Mt Ashland Hillclimb Run (June)
• Siskiyou Out Back (July)
• Lithia Loop Trail Marathon (November)

The location that is a must for first timers is Lithia Park. Lithia Park sits just adjacent to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and is home to some great routes. I have put in some miles before and absolutely fell in love. There are so many trails available, and so many connections into the backcountry from this central location, that you can easily put as many, or as few, miles as you desire.

Now to the details to the experience itself:

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has been something that has always resonated with me. I immensely enjoy live theater and have been to a variety of shows in Portland and Eugene, as well as on NYC Broadway. I am far from a Shakespeare buff, but I know that this is a big deal in Ashland, and I have been able to take in a couple shows here before. The 2026 season (essentially March through October) is underway and there are opportunities to make a trip to run and play.

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Come From Away
• A Raisin in the Sun
• Yellow Face
• You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!
• August Wilson’s King Hedley II
• Smote This, A Comedy About God… and Other Serious $H*T
• The Taming of the Shrew
• Henry IV, Part One
• Emma

I was lucky enough to take in one of the premier performances of the season – Come From Away and was absolutely blown away. The Angus Bowmer Theatre is absolutely incredible and the atmosphere was electric.

And it was literally as riveting a show as there could be. For those of you unaware, this show is about 9/11 – when flights were grounded and an entire town in Canada took in the passengers and cared for them. The play just absolutely CRUSHED it. The performances and singing were spot on. It brought music. It brought laughter. It brought tears.

It was the 5-minute mile of performances – an exhilarating rush that left me wanting to tell everyone about it!

I also strongly recommend checking out their “Plan Your Visit” page, which will get you all sorts of great info and answers to questions surrounding parking, getting around, and what to expect in the theaters. There is also other great info about visiting Ashland, including dining and drinking options, shopping, and accommodations.

Follow OSF on Facebook and Instagram, and make sure you use their hashtags on social media.

The best trips aren’t always about the miles you log—they’re about the memories you make along the way. Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival are the perfect reminder that a great run can be just the beginning of an incredible day.