This year, Scarborough Renaissance Festival will showcase more than a dozen new stage and lane shows, a new Royal court, and many incredible new artisans and their amazing artistic creations as they kick off their 38th season.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival is interactive fun for everyone, 16th Century Style that will run every Saturday & Sunday (and Memorial Day Monday) for eight consecutive weekends through May 28, 2018.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival Food & Fun
You and your family will enjoy full combat armored jousting, Birds of Prey exhibitions, the Mermaid Lagoon, living chess matches, Knighting ceremonies, 150+ member performing company and 27 stages of interactive and extraordinary entertainment. You will also discover exquisite one-of-a-kind crafts at the 200+ shoppes, and amazing artisan demonstrations along with Renaissance rides and games of skill.
Each weekend has a different theme including the Artisan’s Showcase, Royal Ale Festival, Celtic, Mother’s Day, Chivalry and Live the Fantasy celebrations each with a variety of special events.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival offers “Food Fit for a King” that is a step above food offered at most North Texas Festivals and events. You can feast on their famous giant roasted turkey legs (the best you’ll ever eat), the largest food-on-a-stick selection in Texas, Scottish Eggs or try some of the daily special creations at our very own Pasta Palace and Scarborough Bakery.
The full-service restaurant & bar, the Rose & Crown Inn, offers a sit-down dining experience with daily specials and signature items like Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers & Mash, meat pies and Muffalettas.
New Food Offerings
- Stuffed Tater Kegs (jumbo tater tots stuffed with bacon, cheddar cheese & chives)
- Frito Pies (Frito corn chips with chili & cheese topping)
- Irish Bangers & Mash (Irish sausage and mashed potatoes with a brown gravy with onions)
- Yogurt Parfaits (vanilla yogurt with fruit & granola topping)
- Fruit Smoothies
Adults 21 and over can partake in custom blended Scarborough Mead, beer, wine and other adult beverages at one of the 12 pubs and taverns. There are also daily wine and beer tasting events for those with a more discerning palate. Tastings require a separate ticket that can be purchased in advance or at the Festival (on festival days). Seating is limited and the tasting events regularly sell out so it is recommended that you purchase your tickets in advance.
Themed Weekends and Special Events
May 5 – 6: Live the Fantasy/Spring Celebration Weekend: Fantasy enthusiasts, Cosplay Fans, and techies – this weekend is just for you! Come Live the Fantasy and show off your best costumes with adult & children’s costume contests each day. Plus there’s a children’s fairy initiation ceremony. Spring Celebration: join in the fun with the Villagers of Scarborough as they commemorate “May Day” and the beginning of Spring by adorning beautiful flowers throughout the weekend!
May 12 – 13: Celebrating Chivalry Weekend: Mother’s Day Brunch: Treat Mom to a scrumptious brunch buffet (either Saturday or Sunday) along with lively entertainment and a special visit from the Royal Court to honor all mothers! This is a separate ticketed event (in addition to Festival admission) with limited seating available. Tickets $20 for adults (13 & up), $10 for children (5- 12) and free for kids 4 & under. Brunch takes place 12:00 pm – 1:00 each day. Get your tickets early at SRFestival.com before they sell out!
Vow Renewal Ceremony: Couples are invited to meet in the lovely Scarborough Wedding Garden at 11:30 am (each day) to renew their wedding vows. Free with Festival admission. Plus don’t miss the all-new Wooing Contest.
May 19 – 20: Legends of the Seas Weekend: Hoist anchor and swash your buckles, it’s a yo-ho-ho of a weekend celebrating those legends of the seas – mermaids, pirates and all manner of sea creatures! There will be children’s costume contests each day plus special Pirate music with the Bilge Pumps and Sea Shanty Sing-Along.
May 26, 27, 28: The Last Huzzah: Come give one Last Huzzah as they close out the 2018 season with a grand celebration over the 3 day Memorial Day Weekend with music, merriment & magic throughout the Village of Scarborough.
Memorial Day: Active Military & Veterans are invited to march in the Grande Parade and everyone is invited to attend the Fallen Heroes Tribute ceremony immediately following the Parade.
Festival Fun Facts
The year in which the Festival is set in the year 1521, at the beginning of the reign of King Henry VIII and during his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The 150+ members of the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA) bring this period to life with their outstanding portrayals of these historical figures and other period characterizations.
- The “village” of Scarborough is 35 acres (larger than most shopping malls) set within a 155 acre site and 225 Renaissance style permanent structures
- The festival employs more than 2,000 performers, artisans, food service staff, grounds crew and retail staff, 27 Entertainment stages with more than 300 performers entertaining each day of the Festival and a 150 Member performing company makes up the “the cast” of Scarborough – Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA). This includes the characters of the Royal Court, villagers, gypsies and more
- 200) Shoppes – Scarborough Renaissance Festival® is one of the largest outdoor “juried” craft shows in the country
Scarborough Renaissance Festival Entertainment
The Scarborough Renaissance Festival® is family friendly with many performances and activities for kids such as the Children’s Knighting Ceremony, Living Chess Match, the Mermaid Lagoon, Fae Follies, Nature of Mercy, Tales from the Village, Renaissance Rides, games of skill and much more.
There are some performances that are geared toward a more mature audience (16+). They include Arthur Greenleaf Holmes the Wildly Inappropriate Poet, Christophe the Insultor, Iris & Rose – Wild and Thorny and the King’s Pub – Pub Sing.
A number of your favorites will be performing at this year’s Festival including Don Juan & Miguel, Zilch the Tory Steller, The Fire Whip Show, Nature of Mercy, Cale the Juggler and several others. This is just a few of the new entertainment acts:
- Acrobatrix – a two-person comedy circus spectacular
- Deante’ Fettucine – the world’s premier red-nosed rope-walking Spaghetti juggler
- Fae Follies – a fun-filled journey of story, music & laughs with fairies & trolls’
- Garry Siler – a minstrel with songs from the cradle to the grave
- Glenn the Wee Piper – enjoy the sweet tones of the Scottish Small Pipes
- Hoop Enchantress (5/19-5/28) – Erin spins, twirls and dances her many dazzling hoops
- Iron Hill Vagabonds – a traditional Irish Folk duo delights with banter and a mix of classical & original songs
- Sea Shanty Sing Along (5/19 – 5/20) – Sea Shanties are taught and sung by Tobias Anchor, Bosun and Shantyman
- Tales from the Village – an interactive storytelling show for youngsters of all ages
- The Flying Freak Show – Sir Real the Puppet Man brings puppets, comedy and audience participation to the stage. Its silly but smart, weird & wonderful!
- The Toobadours (5/5 – 5/13 & 5/26-5/28) – enjoy the hi-jinx of the Schnozzians, Hoppy & Fly as they perform“pinkerdoodling” a musical journey of juggling, music & fun
- Wolgemut – meaning to “be in a good mood”, this traditional German style bagpipe and percussion group present a high energy show with historical music on original instruments. They make the Renaissance Rock!
