North Carolina Renaissance Festival Huntersville
Ren Faire and Artisan Marketplace Fall 2008
Sep 20, 2008
The Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, North Carolina, opens Fairhaven for 16th century entertainment for seven festive weekends from October 4 to November 16, 2008, The 15th anniversary of the festival will be held in a 20 acre theme park that recreates the medieval era, complete with charming cottages, castles, pubs, kitchens, and marketplace and people powered rides.
Fans of Renaissance fairs come for the fantasy, fun, food and sense of connection to a romantic historic era. Ren-faires are part history and part fantasy, as real historic personalities intermingle with fanciful situations. Often the themes are based on real life historic events, with conjecture filling in the details and resulting in dramatic and humorous scenarios.
Renaissance Entertainment
Renaissance actors and characters stroll the grounds and intermingle with guests on the pathways. Fairgoers are free to participate, or sit back and watch the fun. The Carolina Renaissance Festival has over 500 colorful costumed characters roaming the village. Village lanes are filled with singing peasants, royalty, bawdy wenches, characters and street entertainers.
Entertainers at the festival include Jousting Knights on their steeds, Ancient Art of Falconry Hey Nunnie Nunnie, the Washer Wenches, Tortuga Twins, Blackenshear the Minstrel, Bathos the Muse, Charlatan Heston, Dextre Tripp, Jewels of the Caravan dance troupe, London Broil, The Nickel Shakespeare Girls, The Pirate Shantman & Bonnie Lass, Cast in Bronze, Rambling Sailors, Scupper the Pirate and more.
The Joust is one of the exciting highlights of the festival. Knights in armor on their horses do battle for a lady's honor. There are three jousts daily on days that the festival is open.
The outdoor festival offers a full day of varied entertainment, music and just plain fun. Every weekend of the festival has a different theme. Following are the weekend themes.
- October 4 & 5: Grand Huzzah! Two admitted for $20 with coupon available on the festival website.
- October 22 & 12: Kids Free Weekend. (coupon of festival website)
- October 18 & 19: Brew Fest - Home brewers compete.
- October 25 & 26: Halloween Daze & Spooky Knights. Free child admission.
- November 1 & 2: Celtic Trader Jam:
- November 8 & 9: AARRGH! Pirate's Christmas! Pirate entertainment all weekend along.
- November 15 & 16: Holiday Huzzah! Bring a can of food for the food bank for a free child admission.
Ticket Information
- Adults $18
- Seniors (60+) $16
- Children (5-12) $7
- Children under 5 free
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Harris Teeter for a discount. Ticked can also be purchased on the official festival website.
Parking is free, compliments of Harris Teeter.
General Information
- The Annual Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace is held October 4 - November 16, 2008. Saturdays and Sundays. Hours 10 am - 5:30 pm.
- Festival grounds are on 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville, North Carolina.
- For additional information, see the Carolina Renaissance Festival website.
- Information is subject to change.
