Autumn is upon us, and you know what that means – it’s time for the annual Virginia Renaissance Faires! Here in our area, we’re lucky to have several wonderful festivals and faires to choose from.
With live music, delicious food, and magical fun for all ages, the Virginia Renaissance Festivals promise a fun escape from modern times!
So get your peasant garb ready, polish your goblets, and join me for a look at what these upcoming events have to offer this season.
Here you’ll find the latest updates for all the nearby Renaissance festivals this year.
#1 Virginia Renaissance Faire
Spotsylvania, VA Â | Â May 10 – June 8, 2025 Â | Â Website
Have you heard about the Virginia Renaissance Festival? It’s amazing! They transform part of Lake Anna Winery into a full Elizabethan village for the event.
This year they’re bringing back fan favorites like the Pirate Invasion and Vixens en Garde shows. But there are also new theme weekends to explore like Celtic History Weekend.
You can camp on-site to get the full experience – and they even had full hookups available. You can also catch some of the local bands that will be playing lively music all day on lutes and drums!
Nothing beats grabbing giant turkey legs and watching the energy of those performances.
Some of my favorite parts are the:
- Interactive demonstrations
- Blacksmith forge
- Historical cooking lessons
And we can’t miss the epic jousting – cheering on our knight as he competes on horseback is so much fun.
I always find the coolest handmade jewelry and clothing in the marketplace too. The craftsmanship is incredible.
#2 Ravenwood Renaissance Faire
Clear Brook, VA Â | Â Oct 17-19 & 24-26, 2025 Â | Â Website
You have to check out the Ravenwood Faire this year – it looks amazing! The whole event transports you back to medieval times for 3 action-packed days.
Just imagine exploring the ornate fairgrounds decked out like a Renaissance village. There’s even an impressive Viking encampment you need to see. I heard they have battles and weapon demos!
For entertainment, you can catch the epic Royal Joust as brave knights compete on horseback in the arena. And the music stages will have talented bards playing ancient tunes on lutes – I love that authentic sound.
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When you need a break, you can get our fortune told at a tarot card reading tent. Or pet cute animals at the fair’s petting farm! Pony rides sound fun too.
And most importantly, Ravenwood has incredible food. There’s classic faire fare like turkey legs at Crimms. But also taverns like Sleepy Hollow with hearty stew. And Roaming Bistro has amazing pies and pastries – dessert is my favorite meal.
With all the music, shows, food, and atmosphere, this event really makes you feel transported back to medieval times.
#3 Old Dominion Fantasy & Medieval Faire
Goode, VA Â | Â 2025 date coming soon! September| Â Website
The new Olde Dominion Fantasy and Medieval Faire this year sounds like such a creative and immersive experience.
The whole event is based around fantasy, magic, and adventure. We can dress up as wizards, fairies, knights – whoever we want! It will be like stepping into the pages of a storybook.
There’s live music and dancing, so we can revel like medieval villagers. And how cool are the interactive quests and mini D&D games? We’ll get to be characters in an unfolding story.
I also want to watch the blacksmithing demos and try archery and ax throwing. Getting hands-on with those ancient arts will make it feel so real. Oh, and we can’t forget about feasting! They’ll have classic turkey legs and pies fit for a medieval king.
With all the performances, crafts, food, and dressing up, this faire seems like the perfect place to immerse ourselves in creativity. We can leave the modern world behind for a day and just escape into fantasy and fun.
I love that it’s welcoming for everyone too – we can go casual if we want, and there’s no judgment. But I’m definitely going all-out wizard! What do you think? This new faire looks like the whimsical adventure we’ve been waiting for.
#4 Harvest Faire
Smithfield, VA Â | Â May 3-4, 2025Â | Â Website
At Harvest Faire you can celebrate the fall season with food, frolic, and old-fashioned fun at Harvest Faire. The traditional Renaissance acts and entertainment are so much fun like:
- Hay bales
- Corn shocks
- Pumpkins
Don’t forget to try your hand at games of chance, betting on rolls of the dice.
Colorful characters dressed in period costumes bring the Middle Ages to life. It’s like I’m fully immersed in the magic of a 15th-century harvest celebration!
And the best part of this fair? It’s hearty, warm food options like turkey legs, bread bowls, and apple desserts.
#5 Maryland Renaissance Festival
Annapolis, MD Â | Â Website
Aug 23-24, 30-31, Sept 1, 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 & Oct 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 2025.
Situated in Annapolis, get ready to transport back to the 16th century as you enter the sprawling parking lot of the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Passing through the grand gates, we will be greeted by the sight of medieval village houses and the lively sounds of lutes and drums.
Walk down the dirt paths, taking in the bustling marketplace of merchant tents selling handmade crafts, jewelry, and medieval weaponry.
Your first stop should be the jousting arena, where knights charge on horseback towards each other with lances pointed.
After watching a thrilling display of archery and combat, make your way to the Globe Theatre for a comedic Shakespearean play. Next, take a seat at the Lyric Stage as a magician in flowing robes performs illusions and tricks that dazzle the audience.
If you’re feeling hungry, definitely grab a hearty turkey leg and fish & chips, washing it down with a goblet of ale.
By the end of the day, you’ll feel fully immersed in 16th-century life!
The Maryland Renaissance Festival brings the past vividly to life through its stages, shops, food, and activities – it’s a weekend adventure to a forgotten world right in Annapolis!
Other Popular Renaissance Festivals
My quest to experience medieval life has taken me to Renaissance Festivals across the country. Here are some of the other popular Renaissance festivals that you must visit!
- West Virginia Renaissance Festival (Queen Eleanor)
- New York Renaissance Faire
- Florida Renaissance Festival
- Great Lakes Medieval Faire
- Orlando Renaissance Festival
Good to Know
When attending your local Renaissance Faire, come prepared for the experience on the day of the event:
- Wear comfortable walking shoes! Expect to do a lot of walking around Faire grounds
- Dress for the weather. Faires will continue to happen, rain or shine!
- Arrive early. Crowds often peak later, so it’s always better to arrive early
- Bring cash. It just makes it easier for food, drinks, and even shopping!
- Check the festival’s website and even Facebook page to see if they happen to have discount ticket options to save money
