Travel through time and enter the magical Realm of dragons and fairies, knights and trolls, royalty and wenches! Join hundreds of performers, artisans, and costumed entertainers for a day filled with song and dance, laughter, amusement, and excitement.
The Colorado Renaissance Festival returns to Larkspur this summer for eight spectacular weekends! This year is the Festival's 46th Anniversary, and they've got a great lineup of returning acts — including fan favorites like the Joust, The Washing Well Wenches, London Broil, and Celtic Legacy — as well as new performers!
QUICK TIPS
Check out all my tips in this Instagram post:
OUR STRATEGY
ENTERTAINMENT
The Joust with The Knights of Noble Cause is the highlight of the Festival. Everyone in the audience really gets into cheering for "their" knight and booing at all the others! Witness a Tournament of Skill, a Tournament of Arms, and Trial by Combat scheduled throughout the day!
Celtic Legacy plays rock songs with bagpipes, drums, and a guitar! These guys are so fun and energetic, you'll want to watch and listen to them all day!
Kamikaze Fireflies are part comedy, part circus. You may have seen them several years ago on America's Got Talent. They are even better when you see them live at the Festival.
London Broil is a trio of jugglers who are not only skilled but very entertaining too. They'll have you laughing out loud through the entire show!
The Washing Well Wenches have a hilarious show with LOADS (see what I did there?) of audience interaction and participation. It is a bit suggestive; parental discretion is advised.
Zilch the Torysteller has been "peaching teople how to leak in a spifferent danguage" for over four decades. He takes classic tales and utterly mangles them historically and hysterically. Hear him render stories like "Goldilocks and the Bee Threars," "Rindercella," and Spilliam Wakeshear's classic "Jomeo and Ruliet."
Plus MANY, MANY more! Musicians, a hypnotist, firebreathers, dancers, acrobats, singers, and a living fountain are just a few of the other Renaissance variety acts you'll discover.
MK Tip: The performers are fantastic, and they travel to national fairs for a living, so they'll all give you a tip pitch during their show. Many will provide you with a fun pin for a $10 donation. My kids begged for a pin at every show, so make sure you have cash. And the shows are so fantastic that I felt compelled to make sure they're compensated for the fun they've provided!
THEMED WEEKENDS
June 15-16 • Magical Fantasy Weekend! Join the adventure to a mystical realm full of fairies and enchantments! Visit with a live mermaid, play with a unicorn, or be blessed by one of the many fantastical inhabitants of the Realm. There will also be costume contests for both children and adults.
June 22-23 • Royal Ale & Art Festival (and Military Appreciation Weekend)! Enjoy FREE Ale Sampling at the Dancing Bear Pub. Participate in a speed drawing competition. This weekend only, all military personnel receive a BOGO Adult Ticket with Military I.D. plus their children, ages 12 and under, enter the Realm FREE! Redeem at the Box Office only.
June 29-30 • Celtic Festival! Listen to the traditional sounds of Celtic musicians, Scottish pipe bands, and madrigal singers throughout the Realm. Be sure to Don Ye Kilts for the "Best Men in Kilts" contest.
July 6-7 • Children's Weekend! This weekend is filled with activities for the little ones, including a costume contest, a Royal Quest, and a Knighting Ceremony! Children 12 and under experience the Festival for FREE with a paying adult for this weekend only!
July 13-14 • Pirate Invasion! Enjoy a weekend of rousing good tales and tunes of high-seas adventures, swash-buckling sword fights, a Pirate Costume Contest, and a jolly good time! Children can participate in A Pirate Treasure Hunt!
July 20-21 • Wine Revelry! Participate in the Legendary Grape Stomp Competition, and adults (21+) can enjoy FREE wine sampling at the Dancing Bear Pub.
July 27-28 • Romance and Masquerade! Lovers, renew your vows of faith and commitment at the "Renewal of Vows" ceremony at the Canterbury Chapel. Single? Participate in the "Wooing" Competition taking place in the streets throughout the day!
August 3-4 • A Final Huzzah! Celebrate the last weekend with a return to the past or a "Back to the Future" sort of day. It's a weekend filled with frivolities truly fit for a king and a memorable conclusion to the 47th anniversary season.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- The Colorado Renaissance Festival takes place in Larkspur (off I-25 at Exit 173) for eight festive weekends, rain or shine.
- There is a back entrance that comes in from the west. I-25 typically gets backed up so it's a good alternative for both coming and going.
- Gate tickets are $28 for adults and $12 for children 5-12. Children under 5 are FREE! Skip the Box Office and save money when you purchase online or at King Soopers. Parking is free.
- Many food and beverage sales are cash only. Outside food and beverages are not permitted. There is an ATM on-site.
