The Carolina Renaissance Festival returns to the Charlotte Metro region for its 28th year, beginning October 2, and continuing every Saturday and Sunday through November 21. Taking place in CLT’s neighboring Mecklenburg County town of Huntersville, the Festival will be held on a 20-acre outdoor village filled with shopping, dining and non-stop entertainment.
Sixteenth Century Cosplay
Organizers, performers and vendors invite attendees to experience a trip back in time to the 16th century in the village of Fairhaven, where revelry and celebration rule the day. Villagers, artists, craftspeople, musicians, performance troupes, and food concessionaires create a marketplace festival in celebration of the arrival of their visiting Queen.
Every weekend day throughout the festival, with trumpets blaring and cannons blasting, The Lord Mayor will order the gates of Fairhaven to swing open at 10:00 am and close at dusk. The day will be filled with an abundance of attractions presented on 16 outdoor stages, each packed with a unique mix of continuous music, dance, comedy shows, and circus entertainment. Performers include Barely Balanced Acrobats to one-of-a-kind old-world musical instrument musicians.
One-of-a-kind Attractions
The Birds of Prey exhibit, complete with a “royal falconer,” will take you on a trip into the past, explaining and demonstrating the use of falcons, hawks, owls and more in the ancient sport of falconry.
The “Royal Jousting Tournament” will take place three times daily, with each joust full of pageantry, action and comedy as lances shatter and swords clash. Returning again this year is one of the event’s most popular presentations: an aquatic team of water acrobats known as the Sea Fairies, who will perform as Swimming Mermaids.
Interactive Fun and Games
If you’re inspired by the joust presentation, you can try your skills with a lance on the Slider Joust challenge game. If you’re feeling the need to work off some generalized rage or anxiety, have a go at throwing tomatoes at the insult-shouting fools locked in the stocks. If you’re an ol’ skool gamer have a go at the Dragon Climbing Tower, the Archery Range, and the Maze. There’s more fun to be had with rides on Leonardo’s Flying Machine; a people powered amusement ride based on Leonardo Da Vinci’s design for human flight and plenty of opportunity to experience actual Camel rides.
In addition to shopping and dining, the festival pubs will offer a wide variety of craft beer, wine, champagne, ale, honey mead and soft drinks.
For more information on ticket prices, COVID safety, dates, times and location, visit Carolina.RenFestInfo.com, or call 704-896-5555.
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