The Bristol Renaissance Faire will start its 36th season on Saturday, July 8th. The faire runs every Saturday and Sunday and also runs on Labor Day, Monday, September 4th. Labor Day is the final day of the season. The faire is held in Kenosha, WI on 30 beautiful acres. The setting for the Renaissance Faire is the year 1574 upon when Queen Elizabeth visited the town of Bristol. The faire is located just west of I-94’s Russell Road exit and is open rain or shine from 10 AM to 7 PM. Linda McFeters, Owner and Producer, said, “Our team is thrilled to be back and doing what we do best: presenting world-class, immersive entertainment that will put a smile on your face. We continue to work closely with the local health department and the most current CDC recommendations to ensure the safety of our guests, vendors, volunteers, and staff.” Bristol Renaissance Faire was voted “Best Renaissance Faire” for the tenth consecutive year in 2021.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE. Pricing is as follows:
Adult ticket – $40.00
Senior (62+) – $35.00 (Box Office only)
Military w/ID – $35.00 (Box Office only)
Child (ages 5-12) – $15.00
Children 4 and younger are FREE!
Season Pass (all ages) – $225.00
Friends of Faire (VIP Garden) – $135.00
The Friends of Faire membership still requires single-day tickets or a season pass to be used. The membership does not include access to the faire. The season membership to Friends of the Faire includes:
A Friends of Faire 2023 Membership includes:
- A beautiful pewter FoF membership medallion especially crafted by Sheldon Pewter (issued in the Garden only)
- Access to the members-only Friends of Faire Garden for one adult and their dependent children (age 12 & younger) for the entire season:
- Free Gatorade and water
- Covered pavilion
- Shaded tables and benches
- Private dressing rooms
- Clean, private, accessible-sized privies (port-a-johns)
- Hot water for handwashing
- Baby changing station
- The ability to purchase discounted general admission tickets at the will-call window: Adults $25, Children $10
- Two 25% discount coupons for the Renaissance Collection shops
- A members-only Facebook group
- Access to members-only merchandise
- Specialized classes and seminars about the Elizabethan period
- Special invitation to all FoF Events
- The opportunity to get to know other faire fans like yourself!
A Friends of Faire Day Pass is $20 and grants access to the members-only Friends of Faire Garden and includes:
- Free Gatorade and water
- Covered pavilion
- Shaded tables and benches
- Private dressing rooms
- Clean, private, accessible-sized privies (port-a-johns)
- Hot water for handwashing
- Baby changing station
Themed Weekends
Bristol holds four specific themed weekends during their season. These are:
July 15th-16th: Steampunk Weekend – A weekend for time-travelers from all eras! Come join in the Steampunk Hand-Made Costume Contest and check out the pop-up Absinthe Bar.
July 22nd-23rd: Marketplace Weekend – Dedicated to the vendors, any attendees who spends $250 or more in the Faire’s Village Marketplace will receive two complimentary tickets to next year’s Faire. Tickets must be claimed on July 22nd or 23rd and receipt proof must be shown. Please note that this offer excludes admission, food, beverage, rides, games, and the Renaissance Collection Souvenir Shop. Limit 2 complimentary tickets per shopper.
August 5th-6th: Pirate Weekend – Bring your best pirate garb and eye patches for this dedicated weekend. Come join in the Pirate Hand-Made Costume Contest!
August 12th-13th: RennCon™ Weekend – An entire weekend dedicated to cosplayers! Come join in for the largest cosplay party in Bristol. There will be a Cosplay Maypole Dance at 10:30 AM Saturday and Sunday and Cosplay Hand-Made Costume Contest.
Entertainment
The Festival will have a variety of entertainers this year and the list announced so far looks solid. This year includes:
Adam Crack – All Season – Master of the whip and holder of 9 Guiness Book of World Records, his skills and wit will entertain the fans without a shadow of a doubt. And yes, audience participation will happen.
Arne Parrott – All Season – A whimsical musician who captures the essence of the faire through his songs.
Audience With The Queen – All Season, Sundays Only – Your opportunity to get time with Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth.
Barely Balance – All Season – A trio of fantastic acrobats who add comedy and skill to entertain the audience.
Cirque Du Sewer – July 8 to August 20 – Come see the hilarious circus of trained rats and cats and the fun when the cats decided to be….cats! Definitely worth watching.
Clan Tynker – August 19 to September 4 – Amazing performances of juggling, dancing, music, and comedy all rolled up into one. They are a unique band of stage performers who will entertain you
Ded Bob Sho – July 8 to August 20 (PG-13) – Everyone’s favorite cadaver is back for more ventriloquist comedy fun.
Moonie the Manif’cent – All Season – Moonie returns for his 31st season at Bristol with three separate shows and all of them will be great fun. Don’t miss out on any of his performances.
And there are many, many more!
Food and Drink
The Faire offers a wide variety of food and drink options that quite impressive. Fully baked potatoes, coconut shrimp, steak on a stake, and so much more. You can find a full listing of food and drink options at https://renfair.com/bristol/the-faire/food/.
And you find more information on the Faire’s Pub Crawls under the Themed Weekends at https://renfair.com/bristol/theme-weekends/.
Shopping
And of course we can’t forget about the Marketplace! With a variety of options from renaissance faire clothing to boots to armor to swords and masks, the Marketplace has something for everyone. You can find a full listing of vendors at https://renfair.com/bristol/marketplace/.
RenQuest
If you’re looking for something different than the standard faire entertainment, check out RenQuest! Join in solving a series of fun puzzles where you are the hero trying to save the Order of Camelot who have been cursed. RenQuest costs $20 per day where you will find a Main Story and dozens of quests to tackle throughout the day.
The Bristol Renaissance Faire offers a large variety of fun and entertainment during their season. For full information on their faire, go to their website at https://renfair.com/bristol/.