How to spend a day at the Carolina Renaissance Festival

The Carolina Renaissance Festival can be found each fall in Huntersville, NC. The annual festival is held on weekends in October and November and is located about 30 minutes from Uptown. A 25-acre fairground makes up the imaginary town of Fairhaven and includes a jousting tiltyard, 12 stages, an artisan market, game booths, and various food stands.

Admission is around $40 dollars, but when I went, I was able to find a coupon online for free child entry with the purchase of an adult ticket. So, check for discounts before you make your purchase.

Things to do at the Carolina Renaissance Festival

If you have never been to Renfest, I adamantly suggest that you check it out! It is a lot of fun, eating turkey legs, browsing the shops, and watching the varied performances. Many people attend in costume, and they have a rental shop by the front gates if you need something period to wear. I typically do not dress up, and that is perfectly acceptable, too. Although, I do like to hit up the henna booth and get a little ink 😉. Not that interested in the long-lasting henna tattoo? No worries, there are also hair-braiding and face-painting booths where you can get in the spirit, but not have to wear it to work the next day.

The birds-of-prey show called The Ancient Art of Falconry is a big hit with the younger ones. Although, everyone loves watching the birds fly overhead as they soar from the stage to their posts in the back of the audience. The show included falcons, owls, and a raven.

The raven is really clever, and at the end of the show, you can tip the performers by giving the raven a dollar bill, which he takes from your hands with his beak and places in the tip jar. It got a giggle from all of us.

NOTE: All of the performers work for tips, so make sure you have plenty of dollars ready to give out when you have enjoyed a show.

Shoppers will love browsing in the Artisan Market and looking at all of the handmade items for sale. The shops have just about everything you could imagine: swords, armor, clothing, jewelry, candles, artwork, instruments, leather goods, and toys! You can also watch some of the items being made. I especially like to watch the glassblowers and the blacksmiths.

Some of the shops do take credit cards, but it is still a good idea to bring cash along just in case. There are a few ATMs dotting the grounds, but I will warn you that the fee is over three dollars, and the line to get cash is always very, very long.

The “street performers” and the buskers also add to the charm of the day. The fair hires over 100 local actors to mingle throughout the park and interact with the attendees. Sometimes, it is hard to tell who is an actor and who is just a guest in costume! I saw a guy in an amazing Mad Hatter costume, but I am not sure if he was part of the show or not..

Food is one of the main reasons a lot of people visit the Renaissance Fair. The giant turkey leg is a big draw for many (not me, though, blech). There are so many goodies to choose from, you definitely need to visit the park hungry. I feasted on the cinnamon almonds and a homemade caramel cashew candy bar, both were super delicious.

NOTE: Many of the food vendors are cash only…noticing a theme here?

The Joust

No visit to RenFest would be complete without watching a joust! I especially like to catch the last one of the day because it is a duel to the death. The games are presided over by the King and Queen while the lady of chivalry emcees the event. Each section of stands is given a knight to cheer for in the tilts to add a bit of extra excitement for the spectators. It is much more fun to watch the competition if you have someone to root for and someone to boo.

I love watching the knights charge each other with their long wooden lances and hearing the armor crashing as the horses’ hooves pound the sand.

Huzzah!

It is a really great time at the Carolina Renaissance Festival, and I highly recommend it as a family outing, date night, or afternoon spent with friends. Just remember to bring your cash!

(Here's a photo of me and a friend at the Carolina Renaissance Festival circa 2022.)