Mansfield, Ohio is a tucked away, somewhat rural city, where the community is tight-knit and proud of tradition. You may stop by the Blueberry Patch for a hand-picked lunch or ride the famous carousel downtown before heading over to the beautiful Kingwood Center Gardens. In the fall, you can take a haunted Halloween tour of the spooky Ohio State Reformatory and in the winter, Snow Trails attracts skiers and snowboarders from all over the Midwest. But perhaps what Mansfield is best known for is the filming location for the classic 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption.
This year, the movie celebrates its 25th anniversary and the city is planning an entire weekend to honor the milestone. From Aug. 16 – 18, you can participate in everything from tours of famous movie sites, celebrity appearances and even a 7K run.
The Shawshank Trail
Shawshank Trail was created 11 years ago, containing sites where the movie was filmed. You can pick up a map and visit each marked site, standing in the same place famous actors like Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins stood. There are 16 spots in total, ranging from the reformatory (known in the film as the Shawshank Prison), the road to Buxton, the Shawshank oak tree, the prison woodshop and more.
DRM Productions/ David Damron
Movie Screening
The Shawshank Redemption premiered in Mansfield at the Renaissance Theater in 1994. Now, you can watch the movie in the same theater, alongside the real actors. The movie begins at 7:15 p.m., but if you arrive at the earlier 6 p.m. ticketed event, the cast and crew will be onstage talking about their experiences on set.
The famous Brooks' bench seen in the movie.
Shawshank Hustle 7K
The fifth Shawshank Hustle 7K will take place the morning of Aug. 17, beginning right at the Ohio State Reformatory. People from across the country come to run through downtown Mansfield, zooming past filming sites along the way. Actors from the movie will be in attendance for autographs, and a post-race celebration includes food, awards, a costume contest and a free ride on the carousel. You can even tour the old reformatory for free if you dare. (we, of course, recommend doing so)!
Autographs with the Actors
Throughout the weekend, nine actors will be present in different locations to sign autographs and talk about filming the movie.
“People love the movie Shawshank Redemption because it’s a movie about hope and friendship,” Jodie Snavely, an organizer of the Shawshank Redemption Anniversary, says. “You’re going to be able to stand in the same locations as Red and Andy and Brooks – that’s what makes it so amazing.”
Get your tickets ahead of time, register for the Shawshank Hustle 7K and check for more events being added at www.shawshanktrail.com.
“No place else in the world can say that Shawshank was there,” Snavely says. “This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in these real filming sites and meet actors from everyone’s classical favorite movie.”
Jeff Sprang
Fans shaking hands with Shawshank actor Bob Gunton.
Mallory Arnold is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
