Outdoor Family Events
Check Out Scarborough Renaissance Festival 2017
Looking for a great outdoor event for the whole family? Consider Scarborough Renaissance Festival®. This special venue is interactive fun for everyone, 16th Century Style set in the days of King Henry VIII! Enjoy full combat armored jousts, Birds of Prey exhibitions, the Mermaid Lagoon and Renaissance entertainment on 27 stages. Discover exquisite crafts in 200 village shoppes and marvel at the artisan demonstrations. Partake in Renaissance rides and games of skill and feast on food & drink fit for a king. For the more discerning tastes there are daily wine and beer tastings as well. Plus, every weekend has a different theme and a variety of special events.
Dates & Times:
Saturdays, Sundays Through May & Memorial Day Monday May 29th
Hours: 10:00AM – 7:00PM
Ticket Prices:
- Regular Admission: $28.00 Adults, $13.00 Children (ages 5-12)
- Children age 4 and under are free
- Child’s Season Passes: $24.00 (ages 5-12)
- Friend of the Faire Memberships (Adults only): $140
- Discount group and consignment programs are available
Festival Facts:
- Began in 1981
- The festival runs 8 consecutive weekends and Memorial Day Each Spring (April & May)
- One of the largest and most popular Renaissance festivals in the country
- Scarborough Renaissance Festival® is a Renaissance themed festival set in a re-created 16th Century English village celebrating the mirth and merriment during the days of King Henry VIII
- The “village” of Scarborough is 35 acres (larger than most shopping malls) set within a 167 acre site
- More than 20 tons of the Festival’s famous Giant Turkey Legs are devoured annually during the eight week festival
- Scarborough Renaissance Festival® is one of the largest outdoor “juried” craft shows in the country
Entertainment - 27 Stages of continuous live entertainment with over 200 performances daily
- Sword Fighting, Comedians, Mermaid Lagoon, Acrobats, Musicians, Jugglers, Scottish Bagpipes, Magicians, Belly Dancing, Renaissance period instrumentals, Country & Court Dancing and more
- 3 Full Combat Jousts each day
- Birds of Prey exhibitions conducted by John Karger of “Last Chance Forever” Wildlife Conservancy
- Grande Parade, Children’s Knighting Ceremony, Human Chess Match, Renaissance Rides, Games of Skill, and much more!
- History, Customs & Manners lessons and Historic Weapons demonstrations
- Performing Company - 150 Members of the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA) make up the performing company that become the “characters” of Scarborough including our very own King Henry VIII and his sister Queen Margaret of Scotland and Isles.
- The majority of the SAPA performers are volunteer actors and perform 8 consecutive weekends of 10 hour a day, outdoor improvisational theater on our 35 acre stage
- SAPA conducts 8 weeks of rigorous training and rehearsals prior to the festival
- Many SAPA performers have been in “character” for many years. In fact both King Henry VIII and Queen Margaret have been in their roles for over 17 years (2016 marks King Henry’s 21st season and Queen Margaret’s 19th)!
Shoppes & Artisan Demonstrations - More than 200 craft shoppes feature unique handmade wares made by artisans from around the country.
- Jewelry, clothing and fashion accessories, metal works, pottery, leather goods, toys, games, candles, soaps, musical instruments, whimsical and fine arts and wood working just to name a few.
- Each day, artisans demonstrate ancient crafts such as Glassblowing, Blacksmithy, Candlemaking, Printing on a Guttenberg Press, leather crafting, pottery, broom making, Armor tooling, coin minting, jewelry making and more.
- Hearty Food fit for a King - 5 Food court areas (kitchens) are strategically located throughout the festival site, each offering a completely different menu selection. Plus, our very own Bakery and roving specialty food carts
Festival favorites include:
- Giant Roasted Turkey Legs
- Scottish Eggs
- Largest Food-On-A-Stick selection in Texas
- Hand-made Pastas
- Sheppard’s Pie
- Meat Pies
- Etouffee
- Fresh fruit
- Salads
- Jumbo Fajitas
- Delectable pastries
- And hundreds of other items
12 Pubs & Taverns throughout the festival site:
- Twice daily Wine Tastings at the “The Vinery” wine arbor – must be 21 to participate. Souvenir wine glass included. Tickets $30 and may be purchased in advance on-line – seating is limited
- Daily Beer tastings at the Village Green – must be 21 to participate. Souvenir pint glass included. Tickets are $30 and may be purchased in advance on-line – seating is limited
Special Programs:
- Student Days at Scarborough Renaissance Festival®
- On May16th Students are invited to enter the realm of England’s legendary King Henry VIII and experience the intellectual, cultural, and artistic splendor of the Renaissance first hand. Classes will experience a full day of demonstrations, shows, and educational interactions. Students can also compete in drama, essay, poetry, journalism (news writing), and prose & poetry interpretation competitions.
- Royal Renaissance Weddings (throughout the run of the festival)
- Each year, Scarborough Renaissance Festival® hosts an average of 20 weddings. These Renaissance themed weddings in the beautiful Wedding Garden located within the festival site and can include admission to the festival for the wedding party and their guests, a full Renaissance banquet reception, music, cakes, flowers and more.
National Recognition:
- NBC’s First Look
- Travel Channel
- CNN.com
- Food Network
Accolades:
- Best Place to Escape Reality – Dallas Observer
“Top (#2) Family Friendly Renaissance Faire in the U.S.” – Family Vacation Critic - Best Seasonal Event in Ellis Co – Waxahachie Daily Light
- Top 5 Things to Do in D/FW – Dallas Morning News
- Top 6 Events Not to Miss in D/FW – Dallas Child
- Top 10 Things to Do – Fort Worth Star Telegram
- Best Bet – Dallas Voice