Walking through the grounds of the Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) in Todd Mission south of Plantersville is like taking a step back in time, around every turn is a medieval character coming to greet patrons all while never breaking character. It’s the nation’s largest Renaissance ground on 55 acres of land, according to the TRF website.
The festival begins its 47th season with Oktoberfest on Oct. 9 and will run every Saturday and Sunday with occasional Fridays through November 28, 2021 with different themes every weekend. It will finish with Celtic Christmas.
“It is imagination at its finest,” says Jeff Baldwin, Texas Renaissance Festival general manager, speaking of the festival. “As soon as you walk out the gates, the magic is incomparable. It's escapism, which everybody needs these days.” he says. “We've got some of the finest costumes, some of the best international acts, we've got food from all over the world, hundreds and hundreds of shops and games of skill and chance”, [and] we end the day with a fabulous fire show followed by fireworks.”
The day ends with a fire show put on by fire dancers from Austin,
which Baldwin says is “phenomenal” on “a very, very large scale” and won’t be seen anywhere else. Following the fire show is a fireworks display. “They're bursting right above your head over our beautiful lake and our jousting arena,” Baldwin says.” It's just a really magical time at the end of the day.”
Arrive by high noon to catch the parade featuring the Kingdom’s Royalty and the King and Queen who wave from their carriage and nod to their guests. The sounds of traditional Scottish music played on bagpipes or lutes fill the air as festival goers walk amid the shops. Vendors pull them inside their booths to show off their wares, such as medieval attire, handcrafted mugs, colorful dragon statues, or authentic swords. From noshing on a giant turkey leg to diving into a plate piled high with Irish cheesy fries, hungry patrons can get their fill of a variety of international cuisine, including German, Greek, and Italian, and gulp down a stein of mead. With over 20 stages, entertainment can be found around nearly every corner. Attendees can feel the heat from the Fire Whip Show, watch a falcon dive over
the crowd's heads during Birds of Prey and cheer on knights as they joust at the arena. They can also take an elephant ride, enter an escape room, or try their hands at a carnival game — there are plenty of those.
This year, the grounds have been expanded to include a new area called Del Lago. Located near the jousting arena, Del Lago will be home to approximately 10 new shops, food vendors, and a wine-tasting area. Here festival goers can try the latest fair cuisine: a French taco: French fries, meat and cheese wrapped in a tortilla and pressed like a panini, according to chief marketing officer Cory Brock. The wine-tasting area will feature a variety of wines that patrons can purchase a sample or enjoy by the glass.
Also new this season is Theatre of Fools — vaudeville for the 21st century, that combines theater, magic and the circus arts. The show is presented by Lloyd Brant and Rosie Cole who produce the Wacky
Chicken Show, Baldwin says. “I've been in love with the [Wacky Chicken] show for years,” he says. The comedy act presented by the husband and wife team is appropriate for all audiences, he says. “All they do is cluck like chickens,” he says.“It's really hysterically funny.”
Patrons can stay for the night by booking a site at the Fields of New Market campground in order to mingle beyond festival hours or experience another day of the festival. General camping with spots for RVs, campers, and tents are available, as well as family-friendly camping with quiet areas. Additionally, two convenient stores and food trucks are located onsite for easy access.
After Dark, the after-hours portion of the festival, was previously closed due to COVID restrictions but will resume this season. “The After Dark is kind of a dance club concert venue that's opened up on select Friday and Saturday nights. It's an opportunity to present things that don't fall within the realm of the 16th century out of the campground,” Baldwin says. “We don't have to follow the rules that we have to in the [Texas] Renaissance Festival. We can use lighting systems, we can have rock and roll bands, we can have country western bands.” After Dark is a way for the fun to continue even after the festival grounds close, Baldwin says.
