Renaissance Festivals in Texas

The heart of the Old West, Texas is perhaps best known for cowboys and country music. Yet Texas is made up of more than 25 million people dwelling on more than 260,000 square miles of land. In other words, it's a big place with a lot of people. That means there's a highly diverse population that ensures Texas offers something for everyone and every area of interest. And that includes four Renaissance festivals put on in Texas at various times of the year.

The largest and best-known Renaissance festival in the state, the Texas Renaissance Festival runs annually for an impressive eight weekends in October and November. Located an hour outside Houston in Plantersville, Texas, on-site primitive camping at the festival is a big draw. Themed weekends, as well as a number of entertainers, food booths and vendors of every description, offer a mind-boggling array of options. And this is a family-friendly event; children’s offerings are extensive, from games of skill to pony rides. Plan to spend at least two days exploring the festival in depth.

About 30 miles due south of Dallas, in Waxahachie, Texas, the Scarborough Renaissance Festival is presented on weekends in April and May. A bit smaller than the Texas Renaissance Festival, the Scarborough event provides an intimate but exciting experience. In addition to entertainers, vendor booths, games and medieval foods, the festival offers a wide range of services like costume rentals and full Renaissance wedding packages for those who'd like to embark on the matrimonial adventure 1500s-style.

McDade, Texas, approximately 35 miles east of Austin, hosts the Sherwood Forest Faire on weekends in February and March. The event is held on a 23-acre site with more than 100 permanent medieval building re-creations, adding a level of realism that many Renaissance festivals can't match. Primitive camping is available in your choice of the quiet area – where noise is prohibited after 10 p.m. – or the rowdy area, for attendees looking for a more raucous time. Weddings are performed on the site year-round and during the fair. Sherwood Forest also offers a Celtic Festival in September.

South of Fort Worth in Hillsboro, Texas, Middlefaire takes place annually on weekends throughout November. Each weekend has a different theme, from pirates to Christmas. The faire is small but well done, with a wide range of vendors and entertainers. Primitive camping is provided on-site. The Middlefaire group also presents the Texas Pirate Festival in June.