Staring down at every musician, tattoo artist and exuberant guest this weekend during the 2023 INKcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival was the world-famous Ohio State Reformatory. The festival ran Friday through Sunday, drawing a total of more than 75,000 guests from across the globe.
The backdrop of the show was the towering structure that’s popular for its architectural style, Hollywood renown and paranormal activity, explained Derek Wilson, a Willard native who has been a tour guide at the Reformatory for two years, including three INKcarcerations.
“‘The Shawshank Redemption’ is our claim to fame,” Wilson admitted. “But we’ve had five major motion pictures filmed here.” The facility best known as Shawshank State Prison has starred in dozens of other smaller films, television shows and music videos, making it one of the most iconic prisons in the world.
