Texas Renaissance Festival opens gates to the kingdom Saturday, Oct. 9; Everything you need to know from dates & themes to new & hidden gems!

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The Texas Renaissance Festival, the nation’s largest and most anticipated Renaissance event, welcomes guests of all ages to the 47th season beginning Saturday, Oct. 9. The festival spans across 70-acres of lush grounds, greets more than 500,000 guests annually, and will bring back the whimsical magic and traditions of the themed weekends, entertainment, shoppes, food and adventurous experiences. This year, the kingdom will also roll out the royal carpet with new and fanciful experiences.

- Photo Gallery: 2021 Texas Renaissance Festival Sneak Peek -

The 2021 Themed Weekends
The eight-week season will take place Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Friday through Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Each weekend will bring a brilliant experience to life for guests visiting from across the world:
• Oktoberfest | Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 – Sunday, Oct. 10 | Journey back in time to old Bavaria as the King and Queen open the festival season with a celebration of the best of the wurst (and the bier)!
• 1001 Dreams | Saturday, Oct. 16 – Sunday, Oct. 17 | Fairies, elves and other fanciful creatures bring enchantment to the lanes of New Market Village. Don’t forget to bring your best fairy wings!
• Pirate Adventure | Saturday, Oct. 23 – Sunday, Oct. 24 | Avast, Ye Hearties! Heave to and come ashore for the most piratical party of the seven seas!
• All Hallows Eve | Saturday, Oct. 30 – Sunday, Oct. 31 | Ghouls and ghosts arrive for some scary good fun! Wear your spookiest Halloween costume for a chance to win “Spooktacular” prizes.
• Heroes and Villains | Saturday, Nov. 6 – Sunday, Nov. 7 | The mightiest heroes and heroines clash with the darkest of villains and vixens from history and legend. Show off your alter ego.
• Barbarian Invasion | Saturday, Nov. 13 – Sunday, Nov. 14 | Join the Great Horde and feast, drink, and plunder your way through the village during this barbaric rumpus. If you’re the worst dressed barbarian around, prove it!
• Highland Fling | Saturday, Nov. 20 – Sunday, Nov. 21 | Lads and lassies – the pipes are calling you to a celebration of the joys of Scotland. Witness the thrill of the Highland games and show off your Scottish finery in the Bonnie Knees contest!
• Celtic Christmas | Friday, Nov. 26 – Sunday, Nov. 28 | Father Christmas, Mother Christmas, and all the Christmas elves welcome children of all ages to our final three-day celebration of the coming Tule-tide season. The Kingdom is transformed into a Christmas wonderland and holiday music fills the lanes. Here you can find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

New to the Kingdom
This year, the kingdom is excited to welcome the following new adventures and tastes that will join world-renowned performers, musicians and dancers and experiences that grace the stages and lands of the Texas Renaissance Festival.
• Wine Tasting at Odin’s Table by Haak Vineyards and Winery encourages visitors 21 and older to lift thy glasses! Odin’s Table is a unique Texas Wine Tasting, and one fit for the Gods. Curated by knowledgeable staff, guests will taste five very distinct Haak wines: Mead-style White wine, White Port, Tawny Port, Blanc du Bois Madeira and 'Renaissance' Madeira. This tasting is interactive, educational, entertaining and also includes a commemorative wine glass with TRF and Haak logos.
• The King’s Feast offers something for everyone’s taste from lands across the world. For a more formal, exclusive Renaissance-era dining experience, patrons can indulge every day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Pub Crawl, or for better words, pub crusade, is for visitors 21 and older to experience a two hour tour through the seedy underbelly of what passes for wit in the alehouses of the Renaissance, the Holy Heralds of Hops will ply visitors with dirty jokes, lewd songs, drinking games, general debauchery, and of course beer – five to be exact – all the better to lubricate their tongues. A commemorative tasting glass is also yours to keep, and at the end of the crusade, the participant who provides the most inappropriate source of laughter for the rest of us will receive a special prize of (dis)honor to mark their contribution to the Holy Heralds of Hops’ epic Quest of the Holy Fail.
• Royal Scotch or Royal Bourbon & Rum Tastings, for guests 21 and older, is an experience fit for a king. Tastings on the hour begin at 10 a.m. each day. Patrons may also purchase a glass of scotch any way they like it and enjoy it in the shop.
• Escape Rooms are full of adventures, for ages 14 and older, and held in a giant, newly renovated air-conditioned location! The room themes include Airy Botter & The Sorcery School Headmaster’s Office, Airy Botter & The Alchemist’s Lab, The Pirates’ Dilemma, and The King’s Guard. The King’s Guard and Pirate’s Dilemma rooms can be played by two groups in a competition!
• Tea and Strumpets (High Tea) is hosted once daily, high above the bustle of New Market Village. This full meal experience provides an interlude of respite in your whirlwind of a day. Bottomless pots of tea with a hearty array of sweets and savories are served at tables filled with your friends. Luscious treats hand-baked by our sister shop, Queen's Pantry, are paired with Tea and Strumpets' Signature Savories and presented to you in a relaxed, indulgent atmosphere with enough personal space to enjoy it all.
• Del Lago is a new, expanded section of the kingdom added this year. Located near the Jousting Arena, the Festival has moved the horse stables back near the lake and are building several new shoppes and royal wine tasting for festivalgoers to indulge as they please.
Enchanting Traditions Return
• Feed thy Hunger – Foodies can take their tastebuds on an epicurean voyage by sampling the flavors of England, Spain, Greece, Germany and Asia. A sample of popular dishes and food vendors include: The Eggplant Parm at Sir Loin of Beef; The Bacalava in the Spanish section; The Coffee and Espresso tasting at the entrance; Don Felipe’s Fruteria; Empanadas in the Spanish Section; The Gyros in the Greek Agora; The Asian cuisine at The Golden Dragon; The German Hamburgers and more.

Shows and Entertainment – The Kingdom welcomes back entertainers as they join together as over 50 world-renowned performers, musicians and dancers that grace the stages and fill the lanes. A few returning entertainers for the 2021 Festival include Amanda Kitchens, Dangerous Curves, The Washing Well Wenches and Thomas Wood the Pyrojuggler.

Thrilling Games, Rides and Activities – Texas Renaissance Festival will bring back favorite rides and games including a full-size replica pirate ship that houses a museum; The King’s Swings; The Dragon Slide (four stories high!); King of the Log; Slayer’s Castle 3-D House or Horror; Museum of Cruelty; Rock Climbing Wall; Test of Strength; Kids Petting Zoo; Jacob’s Ladder; and more. Most children’s activities can be found throughout the New Market Village.

Camping, Glamping and TRF After Dark – Patrons from near and far are invited to camp on the grounds after a long day of play at the festival to enjoy an entire weekend of festivities. The Fields of New Market Campground is just a short walk from the festival, offers easy access for arrivals and amenities for all, and expands across 230 acres of beautiful, scenic land.

16th Century Weddings – The King and Queen will host multiple fairytale weddings in 16th century-style within the walls of the festival’s charming English Village. Memorable packages are available during the festival and year-round.

Shoppes – Bring home the world of imagination by shopping at over 400 shoppes for unique and handmade fashion, accessories, toys, artwork, swords and more from local artisans and merchants. If you can think of it, you can find it in the shoppes of Texas Renaissance Festival. From adornment, candles and clothiers to lotions, potions, musical instruments and woodwork (and everything in between!), you can find it here!

Ticket sales are date specific and can be purchased on the Texas Renaissance Festival website. Opening day, Saturday, Oct. 9, tickets cost $25 for adults over the age of 13, and $20 for adults Sunday, Oct. 10. Tickets for children ages 12 and under are half-price on Saturdays and free on Sundays. General admission tickets purchased at the gate will cost $30 for adults and $15 for children on Saturday and $25 for adults on Sunday. Most attractions, rides and experiences require additional tickets, costs or specific instructions, so please check website for details.

The Texas Renaissance Festival will comply with any mandates or safety protocols issued by the State of Texas. As of Sept. 23, 2021, masks and vaccines are not required by visitors for entry into the Texas Renaissance Festival. Vendors and staff will be fully vaccinated or provide weekly proof of negative Covid test.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.texrenfest.com.

About Texas Renaissance Festival | The Texas Renaissance Festival is the nation’s largest Renaissance event. Each year over 500,000 patrons enter through the gates of the festival into a 16th Century European Village where performers immerse you in the enchantment of the village that feature 21 stages of music and stage acts, 400 shoppes, artisans, and a world tour for the taste buds that of course include turkey legs!

The Texas Renaissance Festival is located one hour north of Houston. 2021 TRF season dates are Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 9 – Nov. 28, including Thanksgiving Friday. For more information, visit www.texrenfest.com.

TEXAS RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL BY THE NUMBERS
• 500,000+ guests annually
• 80,000 turkey legs cooked
• 50,000 campers annually
• 2,500 employees
• 1,000+ performers
• 400 shoppes
• 231 acres of camping facilities
• 200 daily performances
• 70 acres of Festival grounds
• 47 years open
• 20+ stages
• 17 days of the festival
• 8 themed weekends
• 1 king

LOCATION
Texas Renaissance Festival
21778 FM 1774,
Todd Mission, Texas 77363