Did you love the Outlander series? I definitely did (I really wish I could travel in time, not just travel the world), and if you have not seen it yet, you are definitely in for a treat!
If you have no idea what I am talking about, imagine a mix of passionate love, drama, battles, and intrigues combined with time travelers. Yeah, it’s probably still only in the movies, but I do have some good news if the secrets of the past fascinate you.
You can now experience life in the 16th Century for a weekend at the South Florida Renaissance Festival north of Miami and Fort Lauderdale without the drama, wars, and time travel part.
What Is The Florida Renaissance Festival?
Florida Renaissance Festival is a fair that goes on for consecutive theme weekends for two months in Southern Florida north of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, where you can visit the 16th Century and experience it firsthand close to Hillsborough Beach.
Inside the recreated 16th-century Renaissance village, you can stroll along an enchanted artisan marketplace, where numerous artisan merchants demonstrate and sell their handcrafted wares.
See how they used to blow glass, create unique pottery, hammer wooden toys, and pewter (a smart metal blend to create tools) back in the day.
They also create hand-tooled leather, pottery, weaponry, and medieval-style clothing at the festival, including Festival Memorabilia to bring home.
See hundreds of performers with incredible long-forgotten skills, like a test of strength among sword fighters, magicians, wenches, and minstrels (who are medieval singers and poets).
The minstrels created poetry and music about heroic knights and love that had international significance!
The festival has something going on in no less than twelve different stages, with a full cast of colorful characters. In addition, there are artists and troubadours showing off their excellence all around the festival grounds.
Non-Stop Fun Activities At The Florida Renaissance Festival
Here is a short list of what the entire family can experience:
- Trebuchet Demonstration.
- Falconry show.
- Den of monsters.
- Spear throwing
- Axe throwing
- Knife throwing
- Barrel ride
- Hang bar
- Bungee jump
- Archery
- The Maze
- Haunted graveyard
- Fabulous drinks!
- And a lot more!
There are also a variety of demonstrations and educational displays telling the stories of empires and great power battles, providing a unique experience of history, the arts, and knowledge of the world!
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Medieval Wining And Dining
People knew how to feast back in the centuries, too, and there was no shortage of delectable foods at numerous venues.
I am not sure if all of them are historically correct (like the vegan options you can have), but you can find foods made after centuries-old recipes from a bygone era all across the world.
And, of course, hard cider, cold ale, brew, and varieties of foods! Head out for a pub crawl, a variety of pubs will make sure festival goers don’t venture off thirsty anywhere.
If there still is room for more, an equally delectable dessert might be exactly what you need (sorry, you have to find out for yourself what that is).
Also read: How Far Is Fort Lauderdale From Miami?
FAQs Florida Renaissance Fair & Festival
Where Is The Florida Renaissance Festival?
The festival is held in Quiet Waters Park: the address is 401 S Powerline Road. This location is a few miles from Hillsboro Beach, north of Fort Lauderdale in Southern Florida.
How Do I Get To The Florida Renaissance Festival?
Arrival by car:
- Drive along Sawgrass Expressway, heading north to the end, and then turn left onto Powerline Road. 400 yards onward on your left side, you find Waters Park.
- Or if you take the I-95, drive north to 10th St exit, and then head west to Powerline Road.
- If you come from the other side, drive the Turnpike to Sample Road, then head east to Powerline Road. From there, turn left for about 3 miles, and you will see the park on your left.
Festival Parking
There is free parking for the festival in a general parking area. If you have parked far from the entrance, you can even hail a shuttle service to take you from the parking area to the entrance of the festival!
You can also choose to pay for a VIP parking option, which secures parking right outside the main entrance, for $25. If you want this, be smart to book in advance, as they tend to sell out!
How Much Is The Admission Tickets?
Admission prices for the Florida Renaissance Festival:
- Adults one-day ticket: $32
- Children’s one-day ticket: $14
- Children under the age of 5 have FREE entry, so bring the whole family!
- You can also get special seasonal passes if you want to come more than once to experience this great environment. And active scouts can enter for FREE this year for a fantasy weekend!
Get your tickets to the Florida Renaissance Festival here.
Opening hours are from 10 a.m. until sunset.
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