Backwoods Fest 2026 – Thornville, Ohio

I’m just going to tell you now: you are not going to see all of Backwoods Fest in an hour.

Probably not two.

What to Expect at Backwoods Fest

Every September, more than 300 makers and food vendors take over the woods outside Thornville, Ohio for three days of shopping, eating, bluegrass music and wandering around saying, “Wait. What’s down THAT path?”

That’s Backwoods.

This is the festival where you put on shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, get on the tractor-pulled wagon from the parking lot, walk through the gate and disappear into the woods for the day.

And there is a LOT tucked back there.

Woodworkers. Potters. Blacksmiths. Basket makers. Jewelry. Folk art. Fall décor. Handcrafted foods. Things you didn’t know existed five minutes ago but are now apparently going home with you.

Come Hungry

Then there’s the food. Come hungry because there are more than 30 different kinds of food scattered throughout the festival. We’re talking brisket, apple dumplings, fried vegetables, caramel apples, kettle corn, pork, pizza, tenderloins, funnel cakes, soup beans, bourbon chicken and apparently even sassafras tea.

This is not the weekend to pack a protein bar and pretend you’re above festival food.

You’ll also hear bluegrass coming from multiple stages as you make your way through the grounds, so there isn’t really one “main area” you’re trying to get to. The fun of Backwoods is seeing what you find next.

Which brings me to something else you need to find:

Find Trisha’s Elderberries at Backwoods Fest

Trisha’s Elderberries is #37 this year, just behind the bean soup cauldrons near the main entrance. If you’ve been wanting to try our products but haven’t ordered because you’re not sure which one you’ll like, THIS is why I drag half my business across Ohio every weekend. Come taste them.

We’ll pour the samples. You tell me what you like. I’ll tell you what I think you should try next. And if you’ve been buying from us for years, come find me anyway. I genuinely love seeing our people out there.

Backwoods is big. It’s busy. It’s in the actual woods. Your shoes may be dirty by the time you leave. You’ll probably eat something you absolutely did not need.

And that’s sort of the point.

Come spend the day, find something handmade, eat the apple dumpling, listen to the bluegrass. And somewhere along the way, find Trisha’s Elderberries at #37.

Can’t make it to Backwoods Fest? You can always find us at www.trishaselderberries.com.