Ashland Theatre and Cultural Activities

Ashland is home to the nationally acclaimed, Tony award-winning, Oregon Shakespeare Festival which attracts more than 100,000 visitors annually.

Ashland also has a large variety of other excellent theatre groups that stage drama, musicals and comedies throughout the year.

Music is also a big part of Ashland’s culture. So it’s usually possible to find everything from classical to rock and roll, and everything in between — including symphonies, chamber music, opera, folk, blues, jazz, and bluegrass. And throughout the summer, the Britt Music Festival in nearby Jacksonville, brings in world-class artists for its “Under the Stars” concert series.

The Ashland Independent Film Festival comes to Ashland the first week in April. During this time, over 90 films are shown at various theaters in Ashland. And according to LA Weekly, the festival is “…well on its way to being one of the favorite film festivals” in the country.

Ashland’s Art Walk takes place on the first Friday of each month. Participants can take a free walking tour of the galleries, enjoying the featured art that month, along with wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Ashland has far more than its fair share of fine restaurants, offering a remarkably wide range of cuisines, including everything from nouveau French and rustic Italian, to Latin and Asian fusion.

Southern Oregon University, in Ashland, offers adult classes, the Schneider Art Museum, and award-winning theatre and musical productions, all of which are open to the community.