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8 Renaissance fairs coming to Texas in 2025

8 Renaissance fairs coming to Texas in 2025

Visitors exploring the grounds of the Texas Renaissance Festival. (Texas Renaissance Festival)

By Joey Held

January 14, 2025

Hear ye, hear ye! These Texas Renaissance fairs are some of the best experiences in the country—and you can visit all of them throughout the year.

Renaissance fairs and festivals are a lovely way to explore life during the medieval era. You’ll get to walk around enchanted lands full of performers and artisanal markets while watching events like jousting shows, juggling acts, dancers, and more. And the food and drink are top-notch, from massive turkey legs and powdered donuts to endless vessels of mead.

The Lone Star State has an abundance of these experiences, each with its own unique flair. Here are eight Renaissance fairs and festivals in Texas this year, listed in chronological order. You’ll notice a large gap in the summer since it is far too hot to be decked out in all those Renaissance clothes. See you out on the grounds!

1. Faire of Champions

A winter fantasy fair in Palestine, Faire of Champions is already underway, with a unique theme spearheading each weekend. From the Highland Games, which hosts events like tug-o-war and a caber toss, to the Steampunk weekend, where gears, goggles, and cogs rule the day, you’ll be surrounded by a delightful, quirky environment to explore. 

Beyond general admission, you can splurge for either the Yule Feast—an opportunity to become a Viking for the night with stories and dances—or the Shore Leave at Tortuga, a deep seas feast complete with a pirate invasion. After gallivanting around the fair, you can unwind at the Interstellar Cantina, which is always bustling with merriment.

Dates: Weekends between Jan. 4–Feb. 2, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sundays

Location: 4033 AN County Rd 2212, Palestine, TX 75803

Cost: $15/$28 single-day/weekend passes for adults, $7.50/$14 single-day/weekend passes for kids 6–12, $135–$245 for season passes.

2. Kerrville Renaissance Festival

You might still be on track with New Year’s resolutions by the time the Kerrville Renaissance Festival rolls around. Hopefully, one of your resolutions is to attend more Renaissance fairs because Kerrville is a solid staple among the Texas bunch.

Some of the highlights of this year’s festival include the Dublin Harpers and Bedouin Dancers, falconry and comedy juggling shows, and glass-blowing demonstrations. And if you’re a fan of deep-fried food, you’re in for a world of wonder with deep-fried cookies, Twinkies, caramel apples, pecan pie, and more.  

Dates: Jan. 18–19, Jan. 25–26, Feb. 1–2, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Location: 3785 Texas Highway 27, Kerrville, TX 78028

Cost: $16.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids 5–12, season passes are $50. Purchase online before January 17 to save on admission.

3. Heartlands Renaissance Festival

Entertainment is never in short supply at the Heartlands Renaissance Festival. The Grand Arena routinely hosts jousting and jereed tournaments, as well as combat-filled reenactments of historical battles. Vendors peddle souvenirs like maiden shields, Viking drinking horns, and dragon flame wands.

The fairgrounds often host live-action roleplaying (LARP) events, so you can expect to see plenty of people getting into the spirit of the festival. Guest speakers are also a regular occurrence, sharing wisdom on history, culture, and more.

Dates: Feb. 15-16, Feb. 22–23, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Location: 14450 Hwy 36, Gustine TX, 76455

Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under. Free for veterans and first responders.

4. Enchanted Village Renaissance Faire & Feast

The Enchanted Village Renaissance Faire & Feast may only be for one weekend, but there’s still quite a bit to see. Live performances, artisanal vendors, and a cheerful cast of characters lend good vibes to the whole family.

Of course, you may have noticed the word “feast” here, and there’s no shortage of good food, either. Gnaw on a turkey leg as you walk the grounds or indulge in a full-themed smorgasbord of goodness. Should you need to take one, cat naps were totally a thing during the Renaissance. 

Dates: Feb. 22–23, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Location: 8500 W Hwy 290, Hye TX 78635, Hye, TX 78635

Cost: $11.50 for adults, free for kids 12 and under.

5. Sherwood Forest Faire

Sherwood Forest Faire is the first Rennaisance fair I ever went to, and it’s only gotten better over the years. More than 40 stage acts put on over 150 shows every day to delight the whole family. Top attractions include the castle siege, full contact jousting, and sword fighting, and be sure to say hello to the various characters around the village. They’re either very kind or full of insults (but that’s part of the bit, and the barbs are clever). 

Sherwood Forest also sports some bonus activities, like the Hawk Walk and the Forest Quest, a batch of riddles, clues, and puzzles to solve during your visit. There’s an array of merchants selling handcrafted goods, from leatherworks to swords to costumes. You could theoretically come dressed like Ted Lasso and leave decked to the nines in Ren Fest garb. And you just might learn a bit about friendship along the way.   

Dates: Weekends from March 1–April 20 (also open Friday, March 21), 10 a.m.–dusk

Location: 1883 Old Hwy 20, McDade, TX 78650

Cost: $28–$34 for adults, $16.80–20 for kids 6–12, free for kids 5 and under. Discounts for military and group tickets. Season Pass ($100–$180) and Friends of Faire ($163.20–$272) options with additional perks alongside admission.

6. Scarborough Renaissance Festival

None of us were alive during the 16th century, but the Scarborough Renaissance Festival is a pretty good glimpse of what life was like back then (though with far better food and entertainment options).

The 20+ stages and lanes feature some super cool things you just won’t see in your daily life. Belly dancing, puppeteers, escape artists, aerialists, whip masters, and Scottish bagpipes make for a lively environment that’ll have everyone smiling. Scarborough is among the most interactive Renaissance fairs in Texas, with features like the Mermaid Lagoon, knighting ceremonies, and plenty of games and rides. Or perhaps you’ll be drawn to the daily beer and wine tastings. Keeping hydrated is important, after all.

Dates: Weekends from April 5–May 26 (including Memorial Day Monday), 10 a.m.–dusk

Location: 2511 FM 66, Waxahachie, TX 75167

Cost: $26–$38 for adults, $13–$18 for kids 5–12, free for kids 5 and under. All kids get in free opening weekend and Mother’s Day. Season passes are $150 for adults and $34 for kids. Friends of Faire tickets offer additional perks and are $200 for adults and $50 for kids.

7. Avalon Faire

You may not come across the real King Arthur, Lady Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table at the Avalon Faire, though your experience will be close to authentic nonetheless. The jovial music playing throughout the grounds will lift your spirits, and a well-timed glass of mead at the Mead Tasting can do the same.

April 25 is also “School Day,” a highly educational experience. Call the kids out of class—or encourage their school to host a field trip—so they can learn about medieval weaving, soap making, wood carving, jewelry making, and more. A new addition this year is the Highland Piper Competition, held in honor of the fair’s legendary bagpiper, Lary “Leghorn” Fowler. And if you can’t make it to the fair in the spring, the same location hosts Oktoberfest in the fall.   

Dates: Weekends between April 12–27 (including Friday, April 25), 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Location: 1076 FM 1252 W, Kilgore, TX, 75662

Cost: $18 for adults, $14 for students 13–18, $8 for kids $4–12, free for kids 3 and under. Season passes are $98 for individuals and $300 for families (2 adults and up to 3 students or kids).

8. Texas Renaissance Festival

A couple of years ago, I interviewed the Texas Renaissance Festival King about all the goings on at that year’s event. Even after 50 years (the 2025 fest will be year number 51), I’m still so impressed by everything they manage to pack into the festivities. With over 70 acres of land, 21 stages, and 400 on-site shops, there’s something for everyone.     

Each weekend of the Texas Ren Fest has a specific theme, such as Oktoberfest, 1001 Dreams, Pirate Adventure, and Celtic Christmas. Throughout the village and stages, you’ll find a ton of legendary performers, such as the Accidental Acrobats, the Fairy Godmother, a fire whip show, and both The Great Antone and Philnick the Great, two “greats” in music and ventriloquism, respectively, who have been a part of the ren fest for over 45 years.   

Dates: Weekends from Oct. 11–Nov. 30, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.

Location: 21778 Farm to Market 1774, Todd Mission, TX 77363

Cost: $14-$35, free for kids 5-12 on Sundays, always free for kids 4 and under, discounted tickets for military, first responders, and groups. Season passes are also available.

8 Renaissance fairs coming to Texas in 2025

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.8 Renaissance fairs coming to Texas in 20258 Renaissance fairs coming to Texas in 2025

CATEGORIES: THINGS TO DO

Author

  • Joey Held

    Joey Held is a writer and author and the founder of Fun Fact Friyay. He’s regularly planning travel adventures and encourages exploring new places with curiosity and kindness.

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