Scarborough Renaissance Festival, one of the oldest and largest Renaissance festivals in the nation, celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, providing immersive entertainment from April 4-May 25.
The overview
The year is 1545, and King Henry VIII and Catherine Parr, his sixth wife, are about to visit the village of Scarborough alongside up to 200,000 visitors. They will have the opportunity to watch jousts and other entertainment on the festival’s 20 stages, explore games and rides, shop handmade goods, and eat and drink at the variety of restaurants, pubs and taverns.
“It is a fully immersive, interactive experience,” said Janna Zepp, who plays Catherine Parr and also serves as the festival’s assistant entertainment director and cast director. “For 10 hours Saturday and Sunday, we take our guests and for a moment in time, they are in the 16th century watching nonstop entertainment.”
Around 100 cast members bring the festival to life, interacting with guests as villagers, nobles, performers and other characters to create what Zepp calls “interpersonal magic.”
“It’s an experience like no other,” Zepp said. “The moment you walk in the gate, you just feel the joy and the celebration.”
How we got here
Scarborough was more of a pasture than a village when it opened for its first season in 1981, Zepp said.
“It was a big open field with tents and some booths … and hardly any trees except for the pecan grove,” Zepp said. “Slowly but surely the village began to build up, and we started noticing the trends and how people move through the fair, and we rearranged the fair to accommodate the natural path of where people like to walk.”
Although the festival has evolved over the years—additions include sit-down restaurants, ticket scanners, modern restrooms, an air-conditioned first aid center and a wider variety of shopping, food and drink—Zepp said that interpersonal magic between actors and guests remains a constant.
“It’s easier to talk about what has not changed, and it’s the hospitality,” Zepp said. “At Scarborough, [there] is a friendliness and a willingness to entertain and a willingness to tailor the entertainment to you. We entertain to the audience, whether one or 1,000, and that remains the same.”
Shows, actors and characters have evolved too—some years Henry VIII visited with second wife Anne Boleyn or sister Queen Margaret, who Zepp also played. And until a little over 20 years ago, she said the jousts were nonchoreographed combat.
“They were really slugging it out on horseback,” Zepp said. “After that, it’s been more choreographed. Just the same amount of bruises, but less violent.”
What’s new
This year, the jousts have been reimagined on the royal dais, a new location that will provide better audio and can seat almost 2,000 spectators.
“The joust in any Renaissance fair is typically a big deal, and for us, we really wanted to make sure that the stage for the joust was as big of a deal as the joust itself,” General Manager Veronica Castelo said. “And so we have made it larger.”
Scarborough Castle will also reopen for the first time in two years with a new history exhibition. The anniversary will be celebrated with a feast May 17 that will include visits from the court, king and queen as well as a display of items that showcase the 45 years of Scarborough.
What you need to know
Visitors should arrive early and give extra time for travel and traffic on the way to Waxahachie, Castelo and Zepp suggested. Bring sunscreen, walking shoes and a charged phone for lots of pictures—especially with cast members, Zepp said. More guidance and ticket information is found on the website.
“There’s so many people who have never come and who have an idea of what it is or [think] that they have to get dressed up or they won’t fit in,” Castelo said. “The Renaissance community is the most welcoming environment you can find. Try it, come as you are, and you will be welcomed with open arms.”
Looking ahead
Every weekend offers a different experience at Scarborough—check out each weekend’s theme this year:
- April 4-5: Opening Weekend & Easter Celebration: Opening Day pageantry, Easter Egg Stroll for children, and a Renaissance-style Easter service on Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free opening weekend; seniors 65 and older receive a gate discount.
- April 11-12: Artisan’s Showcase Weekend: A spotlight on Scarborough’s artisan community with live demonstrations and more than 200 handcrafted shoppes.
- April 18-19: Barbarian Weekend: High-energy costuming, themed contests and bold village revelry.
- April 25-26: Celtic Weekend & Deaf Awareness Day: Celtic music and dance throughout the village; Saturday features select American Sign Language-interpreted performances.
- May 2-3: Spring Celebration & Chivalry Weekend: Maypole dancing, floral traditions, chivalry lessons and vow renewals.
- May 9-10: Flights of Fantasy Weekend & Mother’s Day: Fantasy, cosplay and fairy folklore; children 12 and under are admitted free on Mother’s Day Sunday.
- May 16-17: Legends of the Seas Weekend: Pirates, mermaids and nautical-themed adventures.
- May 23-25: The Last Huzzah! Memorial Day Weekend: Season finale featuring music, celebration and a Memorial Day Veterans Parade and Fallen Heroes Tribute on Monday.
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