Carolina Renaissance Festival 2017: Schedule, Jousting, Tickets

HUNTERSVILLE, NC— Each weekend through Nov. 19 you can find costumed players re-creating days gone by at the Carolina Renaissance Festival, held north of Charlotte between Concord and Huntersville.

The 24th season of the festival featuring a cast of hundreds of costumed characters is held at 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville, complete with minstrels, magicians and a rousing King’s Tournament joust.

The centerpiece of the Carolina Renaissance Festival is the 25-acre Fairhaven Village that is brimming with cottages, castles, pubs and a dozen stages, making the festival one of the largest Renaissance fairs in the U.S., according to its organizers. Each day, armor clad stunt riders battle in jousting tournaments, and festival goers can try their hand at archery, ax-throwing, castle-storming or climbing Jacob’s ladder.

New this year will be the CRAIC Show, featuring “roguish vocals, rhythmic mandolin, and intense bagpipes.”

Rain or shine, the festival will remain open and continue with its normal operation.

While costumes are not required, they are encouraged. So come decked out as your favorite warrior or queen, rake or rogue, or rent a costume there.

Theme Weekends
The weekend of Oct. 14-15 is Brewfest; Oct. 28-29 is Halloween Daze & Spooky Knights; Nov. 4-5 is Pirate’s Christmas Weekend; and Nov. 11-12 is Time Travelers Weekend.

Ticket/Admissions
The festival is open weekends (Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 30 through Nov. 19. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Ticket prices:
Sept. 23 – October 22:

• Adult (Ages 16- 61) $24
• Senior (Ages 60+) $22
• Children (Ages 5- 12) $14

**Children 5 and under free and do not require a ticket**

You can find directions to the festival here. Parking is free.

Gate Restrictions On Weapons, Toys

“Costume blades of any type (swords, daggers, axes, spear heads and arrow heads) must be blunted, properly sheathed, and peace tied with red twine or ribbon at all times. Arrows are to remain tied together and tied inside the quiver,” say event organizers. “All prop weapons must be presented to Safety Services Personnel at the Festival Main Gate. Prop firearms of any kind are not permitted.”

Patch Editor Deb Belt contributed to this article.

Photo Credit: Carolina Renaissance Festival

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