Arizona Renaissance Festival is an annual medieval fair for all members of the family. The festival runs on Saturdays and Sundays from early February through March. A magnificent medieval amusement park features 16 stages of entertainment, a 50-acre circus, a marketplace with arts, and plenty of adventures for the whole family. Visitors can immerse themselves in an atmosphere of a 16th-century European village, attend a jousting tournament and a feast.
Events and Activities
At Arizona Renaissance Festival, guests can meet the King and Queen as well as their royal court, mingle with about 2,000 costumed characters and enjoy quality entertainment and ongoing performances. Highlights include Queen Katherine and the House of Exeter Show, Fire Whip Show, Barely Balanced Show, The Circus Siren Pod with live mermaids, and Comedius de Marbelous—a living statue show. The little ones will surely enjoy a Dream Hayven Farm, where they can pet and get pictures with all the animals. Also, see birds-of-prey, sword-fighting, a comedy adventure show, minstrels, and living statues.
Arizona Renaissance Festival 2024 offers guests themed weekends that will create a fantastic atmosphere and unforgettable experiences: Opening Weekend (February 3-4), Renaissance and Romance Weekend (February 10-11), Royalty Weekend (February 17, 18 and 19), Time Traveler’s Weekend (February 24-25), Pirates and Brew Fest Weekend (March 2-3), Artisan Appreciation, and Wizards and Wonder Weekend (March 9-10), Celtic Weekend (March 16 and 17), Viking Invasion Weekend (March 23-24), and Final Weekend (March 30-31). In 2024, there will be a new pub crawl The Hops, new music stage Mynstrel's Roost, and new Stage & Lane acts.
These nine thematic weeks offer many contests, games, interesting characters, wordplay, raucous music, and theatrical performances that will transport festival guests to a magical world.
Tickets, parking and location
Arizona Renaissance Festival tickets can be purchased at the box office and online at the following prices: adults—$34.00, children (ages 5-12)—$22.00, children (ages 4 and under) are free, seniors 60 and over—$32.00. For active and/or retired adult military personnel and their spouses—$32.00 (must provide military ID. Spouses must also present their dependent military ID). For child dependents (ages 5-12) of active and/or retired adult military personnel and/or their spouses with dependent military ID—$20.00. Also, festival guests can buy tickets for Pleasure Feast, The Hops, Season, and Group Passes.
For car owners, festival parking is free. The organizers also warn that guests cannot bring their pets to the festival. Arizona Renaissance Festival 2024 is held in Gold Canyon, on U.S. Highway 60, 43 miles (69 km) from Phoenix, with many hotels, hostels, cafes, restaurants, and shops for all prices.
Food and Beverage
The Arizona Renaissance Festival is known for offering diverse food and beverages that cater to a wide range of tastes and preferences. While specific offerings may vary from year to year, here are some common food and beverage options you might expect to find at the festival: turkey legs, cheese & sliced Italian sausage, fresh roasted corn, filled fresh bread bowls, brownie sundae, a variety of fine wines and so much more delicious stuff.
Shopping
A shopping experience at the medieval marketplace is no less exhilarating. On the festival's territory, you can buy many unique things that can be created before the eyes of the audience. Guests are invited to participate in the popularization of ancient arts, such as glassblowing, candlemaking, leatherwork, weaving, pottery woodcarving, and blacksmithing. With 200 artisan shops in the Village of Fairhaven, there's a gift for everyone.
Arizona Renaissance Festival promises an unforgettable experience filled with adventure and laughter. It's a chance to escape the modern world and journey back to a time of knights, kings, and maidens fair!
