
Two women dressed in medieval clothing appear next to a "Great hall" sign at the Florida Renaissance Festival. (photo-gator/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Renaissance fairs are bringing creative looks, exotic foods, and medieval magic to Florida all year long. Here are eight fairs you don’t want to miss.
Whether you go for the giant turkey legs, the eclectic yet stunning period costumes, or the exhilarating jousting matches, you can’t deny that Renaissance fairs encapsulate pure joy and fun. They’re an escape from modern life and the burdens that come with it, and unlike other large events that consist mostly of individualistic experiences, like carnivals, renaissance fairs amp up the community factor. It’s something inherent to their format; being in old-timey garb simply makes people want to get to know each other. It’s like you’re all in a medieval village, working together to build a perfect day.
In fact, this search for community has only led these fairs to become more popular in recent years. “After COVID-19, there has been a huge resurgence of people wanting to go to Renaissance fairs, and numbers have skyrocketed across the board,” Greg Gilbert of The Renlist, a website where folks can search for Renaissance fairs near them, explained to Axios in November 2024.
A state like ours that’s been riddled with hard times could certainly use some cheer, and if Renaissance fairs sound like your type of outing, look no further than these eight ones coming to The Sunshine State in 2025.
1. Brevard Renaissance Fair
Where: Melbourne
Dates: Jan. 18-20 & 25-26, Feb. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, & 22-23
Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: One Day: $29 for Adult & $17 for Child; Two Day: $53 for Adult, $31 for Child
Many Renaissance fairs set up shop in the fall when the weather is cooling—after all, folks in heavy, full-body period costumes don’t necessarily want to be under the summer sun, especially once alcoholic bevvies get involved. However, Florida’s renaissance fairs can go later than fall (or earlier, depending on how you think about it) thanks to the state’s warmer climate, leading to many fairs strolling into town in midwinter.
Enter the Brevard Renaissance Fair, one of the first big fairs of 2025 to hit Florida. This fair is running for six full weekends, as well as an educational day on Feb. 3, and attendees will be treated to a variety of entertaining events, including several music groups, enchanting fae wandering the grounds, improvised plays, and so much more. This is also the perfect place to support local vendors, with artists, craftsmen, and artisans of all different types of goods—from apparel and kitchenware to games and one-of-a-kind decor—calling the fair home on these weekends. Oh, and if you’re here for a good brew or two, you can add a pub crawl experience to your ticket for an extra $40.
2. Pinellas Medieval Faire
Where: Largo
Dates: Jan 25-26 & Feb. 1-2
Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Early-Bird Price: $15-16; Door Price: $22
Held at DK Farms & Gardens, the Pinellas Medieval Faire is relatively new on the Florida scene, but it’s continuing to bring new types of medieval fun to its attendees. Here, you’ll find more animals than at other Renaissance fairs—namely because the venue contains farms—which means you could see everything from cows and goats to horses and pigs. In fact, pony and camel rides are offered, allowing folks to feel like a true knight on their sturdy steed. Other fun activities here include wine tastings, tomato throwing, miniature golf, and archery. Just note that you need to arrive in the specific time frame on your ticket, as the venue has to balance its capacity throughout the fair.
3. 33rd Annual Florida Renaissance Festival
Where: Deerfield Beach
Dates: Feb. 1-Mar. 23
Time: 10 a.m.-Sunset
Cost: Adult: $37, Child: $15
The Florida Renaissance Festival is entering its 33rd year, making it one of the older Renaissance fairs in the state. As such, it’s also one of the biggest and most elaborate renaissance fairs Florida’s ever seen, which is why it’s no surprise that the event runs for nearly two full months. This festival is a real who’s who of medieval classes: You’ll see everyone from magicians and sword fighters to knights and minstrels. Essentially, you’ll feel like you just stepped into a medieval court thanks to this festival’s perfectly curated vibes. Bringing this court to life are more than 200 combined performers and vendors, giving you ample culture, art, and food to explore throughout your stay. When you’re not hearing a medieval jig, you can check out iconic games and sports like axe throwing and archery. That’s only the beginning, though. The Florida Renaissance Festival provides so much to sink your teeth into that you may want to invest in the season pass, which runs for $148 for adults and $58 for children. You’d only have to visit four times to break even—any subsequent visit simply decreases your price per visit.

Two men dressed in medieval clothing smile in front of a faux castle wall at the Florida Renaissance Fair. (osseous/CC BY 2.0)
4. Bay Area Renaissance Festival
Where: Dade City
Dates: Feb. 15-Mar. 30
Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: Adult: $25.95, Child: $17.95
Some Renaissance fairs center around one performance stage that rotates through different types of entertainers, but the Bay Area Renaissance Festival blows this out of the water by erecting 15 different stages for various performers to entertain the masses throughout each day of the event. On one stage, you’ll see jousters passionately giving their sport their all, and on another, you’ll find magicians and jugglers completing magnificent feats. Of course, live music is in the mix, too, and that’s all before you get to the festival’s sweeping marketplace. The Bay Area Renaissance Festival is one of the grandest renaissance fairs in the state, and it goes on “rain or shine,” per the event’s website, so you’ll want to check the forecast and bring rain gear with you just to be safe (even if it takes some of the attention away from your medieval clothing). Performers for this year’s event are still under lock and key, but the foods aren’t. Some standout items include Corn Fritters, Mac & Cheese in a Cone, Deep-Fried Ravioli, and Unicorn Cake.

Six women wearing brightly colored medieval clothing dancing in a circle while a bard plays guitar. (Walter/CC BY 2.0)
5. Renaissance Cruise
Where: Port Canaveral
Dates: Feb. 22-Mar. 2
Time: N/A
Cost: $988+
The annual Renaissance Cruise is back this year, taking folks on a truly one-of-a-kind eight-day excursion that’ll immerse them in typical Renaissance fair vibes—just on the high seas. This is one of the most unique Renaissance fairs you can participate in, as it doubles as a vacation and allows you to truly simmer in the experience rather than having to leave at the end of a fun day. Of course, as it’s a cruise, this one isn’t confined to Florida—travelers will embark on a journey to Grand Turk—but the ship, The Sun Princess, departs from and returns to Port Canaveral, making it a renaissance fair that everyone in the area needs to know about. On this cruise, you can expect costume contests, themed games, live performances, and more. Did we mention acrobatics are involved? Ultimately, this Renaissance fair is perfect for anyone who loves both medieval iconography and swashbuckling adventure.
6. North Florida Renaissance Faire
Where: Milton
Dates: Feb. 22-23 & Mar. 1-2
Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: Adult: $20, Child: $15
This winter, the North Florida Renaissance Faire will electrify the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds—even if electricity hadn’t yet been discovered in medieval times. This event is brought to life by the Knights of Valour, a professional jousting troupe, and the folks behind the Jubilee Renaissance Faire. Together, this team knows how to build a fresh and fun affair. You can, of course, expect jousting tournaments to liven up the occasion, but you can also look forward to theatrical performances, musical performances, artisans selling all types of wares, and so much more. The cherry on top is that you can create a feast for a king in a great hall like that of “Beowulf,” allowing you to dine with a lovely community in addition to mouthwatering food. This option stands out from other Renaissance fairs on this list, which tend to only have various food stalls you can buy from. Talk about an immersive experience
7. Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival
Where: Pensacola
Dates: Feb. 22-Mar. 2
Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: One Day: $15 for Adult & $10 for Child; Weekend Ticket: $25 for Adult & $18 for Child; Full Event Ticket: $50 for Adult & $35 for Child
This winter, Pensacola’s Five Flags Speedway will temporarily become home to the 24th Annual Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival. The name says it all: This event is double the fun because it’s a two-in-one celebration. You’ll see knights and wizards walking around the grounds just as much as you’ll see Captain Hook lookalikes weaving throughout the space. That’s not all there is to see, though. According to the event’s website, you can expect dancing performances, jousting, and more to take the stage, as well as exotic birds on display. Folks living in medieval times could only dream of seeing these beauties! While a list of specific food and merchandise vendors doesn’t appear to be public yet, this event has a history of bringing together some of Florida’s finest cooks and artisans, so you’re nearly guaranteed to enjoy the wares and meals you purchase. We do know from photos on the website that one vendor sells its Shrimp Po’Boys at the fair, and that’s some good eats you don’t want to miss.
8. St. Petersburg Renaissance Faire
Where: Pinellas Park
Dates: Apr. 19-May 11
Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: One Day: $30 for Adult, $18 for Child; Season Pass: $100 for Adult, $72 for Child
The St. Petersburg Renaissance Faire has a lot going for it, which is why it’s a little more expensive than other Renaissance fairs in Florida. However, planning ahead can save you some money, as purchasing a ticket dated for a specific day will slash 15% off your price. (For a standard $30 ticket, that should drop the total to $25.50 before any applicable fees or taxes.) Even if you can’t score a discount, you don’t want to miss this event. In addition to more than 100 performances gracing the fair’s nine stages and over 50 artisans showcasing their handcrafted wares, the St. Petersburg Renaissance Faire has themed weekends that put a little extra razzle dazzle on the traditional ren-fair outing. For instance, on April 19 and 20, the fair will be overcome with Easter merriment, while the event’s concluding weekend, May 10 and 11, will feel like Cupid himself struck it with an arrow. According to the event’s website, William Shakespeare will be helping people fall in love while the queen of the event will witness people profess their love for each other during this romancing soiree. This isn’t even to mention the darts, catapults, bows and arrows, and more that await you as you traipse through England Brothers Park.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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