The North Texas tradition returns! Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) kicks off its 42nd season this Saturday, April 8, 2023, by offering Kids Free, a Senior Discount, and Easter Festivities.
Up to 3 Kids 12 & Under Free get in free with each paid adult (kids 4 & under are always free) and Seniors (65+) get a $10 Discount when they purchase their tickets at the gate. Easter festivities will include the all-new Children’s Easter Egg Roll at 1:30 pm each day at the Royal Pavilion and Children’s Easter Scavenger Hunt through the Festival site each day. Scavenger Hunt maps can be picked up at the exit gate. There will also be a Renaissance Easter service on Sunday, April 9th at 12:00 noon.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) is a full day of interactive fun for everyone, 16th Century style! Here you will discover a 35-acre recreation of a 16th Century English village celebrating the visit of King Henry VIII and his new bride, Katherine Parr (number 6 for those who are counting), their royal court, and guests with a festival of entertainment, artisans, food, magic, and merriment! Join in the fun in the “Village of Scarborough”!
The Festival runs Saturdays, Sundays, and Memorial Day Monday, April 8 through May 29, 2023. Visitors will enjoy full combat armored jousting, Birds of Prey exhibitions, the Mermaid Lagoon, Knighting ceremonies, a 90+ member performing company, and 20+ stages of extraordinary interactive entertainment. You can discover exquisite one-of-a-kind treasures in the Artisan Marketplace’s 200+ shoppes and be amazed by authentic artisan demonstrations. There are also Renaissance rides, games of skill, and so much more. Costumes designed for a family friendly environment are welcome at Scarborough but are not required.
“We are very proud to have been recently voted as the #1 Favorite Renaissance Festival in the Country in the 18th annual Renaissance Festival awards!” says Helaine Thompson, Director of Marketing & Communications. “It is a tremendous honor and we feel that it is a testament to the hundreds of performers, artisans, participants, vendors, and employees that have made Scarborough such an amazing place. We hope that everyone will join us for our 2023 season. Come see what you’ve been missing!”
Each weekend of the Festival has a different theme: Artisan’s Showcase (4/15 & 4/16), Viking & Ale Weekend (4/22 & 4/23) , Live the Fantasy & Spring Celebration (4/29 – 4/30), Celtic Weekend (5/6 & 5/7), Celebrating Chivalry Weekend (5/13 & 5/14), Legends of the Seas (5/20 & 5/21), and the Last Huzzah (5/28, 5/29 & 5/30). Each themed weekend also has a variety of special events and activities including the all-new Children’s Easter Egg Roll (4/8 & 4/9), all-new ‘It’s A Royal Wedding’ (4/15 & 4/16), costume contests, special entertainment, and the return of the Chocolate Sensations Tasting Event (21+) on May 13th & 14th.
The 2023 season is ushering in a new monarchy at the Festival: King Henry VIII and his new bride (and wife number 6 for those who are counting), Queen Katherine Parr, as portrayed by members of the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts – the Festival’s performing company. Visitors are invited to join the fun and frivolity as their “wedding” is celebrated at 1:30 pm each day on April 15th & 16th at the “It’s A Royal Wedding” special event.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) also welcomes back Festival favorites such as The Fire Whip Show, Cirque du Sewer, Celtic Legacy, The Don Juan & Miguel Show, The Harmless Danger Juggling Show, Zilch the Tory Steller, and many others. The Ironhill Vagabonds will be making a special guest appearance April 8th through April 30th.
Exciting new shows for 2023:
- Burbage & the Bard – PG 16 (4/8-4/30)
- Cari’s Creatures (4/8-4/30)
- Ermagerd the Bard (4/15-15 & 5/20-29)
- Langer’s Ball (4/8-4/30)
- Midwife Crisis – PG 16 (5/6-5/29)
- Good Morrow, Scarborough!
- Whose Jest Be It?
- Terra Prongwort
Visitors can be totally interactive with the performers of Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) by joining in the Maypole Ceremony, learning a Renaissance Dance, meeting a Mermaid, getting a lesson in Chivalry or the School of Sword, or being a part of dozens of audience participation shows!
The majority of Scarborough Renaissance Festival’s (Scarborough Faire®) entertainment is rated PG and is acceptable for any age. However, there are some shows that are geared more toward children and others that are more appropriate for a mature audience and are rated PG-16 (not suitable for young children). The PG-16 shows are primarily located in our pub areas and are clearly indicated in the souvenir program, on the website, and on the stage signage.
Scarborough has so much more to offer kids too! Children’s Knighting Ceremonies, The Mermaid Lagoon, a petting zoo, The Unicorn Experience, face painting, costumes, fairies, Renaissance rides, and games of skill, just to name a few.
As one of the largest juried craft shows in the country, the 200+ shoppes in the Artisan Marketplace at Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) showcase incredible artists and their creations as well. In 2023, the Marketplace is introducing 17 new artisans featuring unique designs in 2-D fantasy art, leather journals, soft & fiber sculpted dragons, hand-crafted flags & banners, circus juggling toys, leather hats, hand painted bird whistles, bath products & soaps, flying toys, honey & mead making supplies, sculpted decorative bottles, carved wooden utensils, men’s body & beard care products, and glass lampwork.
2023’s New Festival Artisans:·
- Anwyn Ilo Studio
- Bewitching Books
- Blonde Swan Hat Co.
- The Clove & Hive
- Delicious Doom Chocolate
- Dragon Feathers
- The Feisty Fox
- Jester’s Courtyard Toys
- Lady Oddball
- Lord of the Beaks
- Lounie’s Soap Shoppe
- MoXie StiX
- Rugged History Beard Co.
- Snuggle Dragons
- Spellbound Creations
- Wild Cherry Spoon Co.
- Vedder Glass
Plus, there is food & drink fit for a king! Giant roasted turkey legs, Scottish Eggs, handmade pastas, baked from scratch pastries, German specialties, Stir Fry, Spinach Pies, Bangers & Mash, the largest food-on-a-stick selection in Texas, and so much more. New at Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) in 2023 are chocolate dipped bananas, strawberries and cheesecake, Elote in a Cup (street corn), Watermelon & Root Beer flavored Italian Ice, and King’s Bacon.
Visitors 21 & older can enjoy adult beverages at the 12 pubs and taverns and get a taste of the new custom blended mead from North Texas’ Breaking Brew Meadery as well.
Those with a discerning pallet can partake in a beer or wine tasting event. These events take place two times each Festival day and each weekend has a different theme. What’s even more impressive is that the wine tastings are conducted by a Certified Sommelier and the beer tastings are conducted by a Certified Cicerone® . The seating at the tastings is limited and they regularly sell out, so visitors are encouraged to purchase their tasting tickets in advance (and at a discount) at SRFestival.com. Tasting tickets are $35 each at the event in addition to Festival admission.
2023 Wine Tasting Themes
- April 8 & 9 – Wines of Spain
- April 15 & 16 – Wines of Italy
- April 22 & 23 – Wines of the New World
- April 29 & 30 – Build Block Blinds
- May 6 & 7 – Wines of France
- May 13 & 14 – Wines of Germany
- May 20 & 21 – Wines Down Under
- May 27, 28, & 29 – Flynn’s Favorites
2023 Beer Tasting Themes
- April 8 & 9 – Beers of Texas
- April 15 & 16 – Beers of Belgium
- April 22 & 23 – Beers of the New World
- April 29 & 30 – Some Like It Dark
- May 6 & 7 – Beer Styles of the Celtic Isles
- May 13 & 14 – Beers of Germany
- May 20 & 21 – Blind Date
- May 27, 28, & 29 – Seamus Suggests
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Come Step Back in Time for the Time of your Life at Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) Saturdays, Sundays, and Memorial Day Monday, now through May 29, 2023. New for 2023, credit cards are now accepted at most food & drink locations as well as the ticket office, souvenir shoppes, and most of the Artisans shoppes. Games and Rides are cash only and ATM’s are conveniently located throughout the Festival.
Single day tickets for the 2023 season are $37 at the gate for Adults (13+) and $17 for Kids (5-12) and Kids 4 & under are always Free. Advance discount tickets are available at www.SRFestival.com and single day discount tickets are also available at North Texas Tom Thumb & Albertsons stores.
Located in Waxahachie, Texas, Scarborough Renaissance Festival® (Scarborough Faire®) is just 30 minutes south of the downtowns of Dallas and Fort Worth off I-35E and one hour north of Waco. Scarborough Renaissance Festival® is sponsored by Dr Pepper and Tom Thumb & Albertsons.
For more information visit www.SRFestival.com or follow them on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, & Twitter (SRFestival) or on Instagram (theSRFestival).
