Northern California Renaissance Faire — Attraction in Hollister

I've been attending for 10 yrs, it is an annual tradition that I look forward to immensely with my friends. We love to dress up and see the incredible work that so many people have done on their outfits for faire. The staff is awesome, everyone is in character, charismatic, friendly, always making our whole family feel welcome and included from the moment we walk in and throughout.

Overall, I still recommend it, but the crowd situation the last two years is starting to give me pause.

My family is two adults and two kids. We always bring a ton of water (2+ gal) and a ton of snacks/food. I don't experience the same frustration with the parking, food, and water that others do. I guess I'm just used to it, and we plan around those issues.

We tent-camp at the Casa De Fruta Orchard sites, which helps a lot. It’s gotten expensive ($70 per night per tent), but it's still worth it. By camping you can skip the parking, and have a nice place to change into your costume. Can walk back quicky if need more snacks and water. Easy to eat meals right before and afterwards.

Arrive as soon as the gates open. Do anything you want to do the most when you first arrive. Usually we take a quick walk around to see what shops are there, grab a mead or two on that first orbit (before lines get out of hand), then head for seats for the earliest shows. This year, we started with Broon on Saturday and Dungeons and Shakespeare on Sunday (the latter of which was new for us, and really fun!).

If I could change two things about the faire, I would say:

1: Limit tickets. The last two years there have been crowds like I've never seen. After 2 PM it's impossible to do anything. The faire isn't big enough for the amount of people. The shows only have so many seats, and the food and drink and other vendors can only serve so many people, the lines are just insane. Which brings me to:

2: Increase food vendors/vendor throughput. The food lines don't need to take 45+ minutes. Get more vendors, get more people in pouring drinks, get more people cooking food. I'd love to be able to eat there, but it's hard to justify spending so much time in line.

Additional thoughts and info:

From my understanding, the vendors at the front entrance (right as you come in) are more a trial to see if those are a good fit for the faire. So if you see things you like there, buy them, don't wait for the next year!

Dungeons and Shakespeare show is really great, was our favorite show this year. Takes people from the audience to act out a Dnd/Shakespeare adventure. My son was picked and got to be a shambling mound, he had a ton of fun with that.

The new joust/tournament games troupe is pretty great. They have female jousters now, and the two years I've now seen that troupe their armor has been impressive (shiny, elaborate, looks absolutely legit).

I miss the pot pie stand. I also really miss the awesome mead/port drinks by the joust. This stopped after covid, apparently the meadery went out of business, but I miss they way they used to 1: have the mead/port combo (so delicious) and 2: that they would overpour and let you drink it, gave you something extra and was fun. Wish they would bring that back. I also miss the fruit-ices.

I also miss Moonie! The late show with him and Broon was so so good. Wish they would bring him back!

I also didn't see bone pins this year, even the new ones Broon was giving out were made of wood. That was a bit of a bummer.

With kids, the faire is definitely more expensive. My kids love nearly all of the side-show games, which can add up quickly as they usually only last a few minutes. We bring some cash and say "when this is gone, it's gone", and intersperse walking around with shows throughout the day. This year, we only were able to see shows that started by or before 1 PM, the crowds were just too crazy after that. But we still did the usual fun. One other complaint, the Maypole ride has gotten insanely expensive (used to be $3 (I think), now its $9).

Overall, still very fun, looking forward...

I've only ever been to one Renaissance faire so I don't have anything else to compare it to, but this fair is an absolute blast, it's so much fun. The only problem is it's a bit dangerous because they have tons of like handmade beautifully crafted knives and swords and chainmail armor and axes and rings and tons of jewelry. And the only problem is you could easily go and blow a couple thousand dollars on all the beautiful stuff that they have there. The only downsides is it is very hot some weekends, and there is very little shade, so make sure to bring sunscreen and hats. The people that are extremely friendly and it's got a really good positive vibe, about 90% of the people are all dressed up in period clothes, and the workers there call you ma'am and sir and Lord and lady, and it's just a lot of fun. The jousting is legitimately impressive even if you're not into Renaissance faire stuff, the knights and the armor they wear and the beautiful horses that they ride are really actually genuinely impressive and very fun to watch. Highly recommend it, there's plenty of parking and you know it's only about a 4-minute walk from the very end of the parking lot to the entrance. Yep the only bad thing I can say about it is it's very easy to spend money there because there's so many awesome things, so definitely come in mind with a limit for what you want. Also the food is quite expensive and the lines are long and you have to stand in the sun to get them, but it's delicious when you go: they've got fun things like turkey leg drumsticks and other Renaissance Fair themed food, but they also have stuff like burritos and pizza and it's just really good fair food. The organisers definitely need to look into providing more shade though, because a lot of the times they're just standing in line and baking in the sun specially when you're waiting to order food, they also have various bars with Mead and various ales, and it's just it's a ton of fun and you'll definitely enjoy it just make sure to bring plenty of cash, there are atms but they charge a decently large fee to be use them, and every vendor has card readers for credit card purchases in Apple pay, Google pay, and Venmo but sometimes they don't work so it's always a good idea to bring cash. If you're worried that it's going to be too weird or dorky, don't be, I had never been to renea sons fair or even thought that I would enjoy something like it before, but it is a lot of fun regardless of if you're into dungeons and dragons and medieval history or not ;) all in all it's a great way to spend a...

Hark, I must regale thee with the wondrous tale of my sojourn to the Northern California Renaissance Faire at Casa De Fruta!

'Twas a grand adventure, whereupon I was privy to the most spectacular jousting show, a sight to stir the very soul. Knights bedecked in shimmering armor did engage in gallant combat, enrapturing the assembly and transporting us to a bygone age of chivalry.

But verily, the mirth and marvel did not cease there. A bold and audacious sword swallower, CY by name, did perform feats to astound the most stout-hearted among us. His daring and unyielding spirit left us in utter amazement. In lighter moments, the mirthful Broon, the fire eater, regaled the audience with his comedic prowess, causing hearty laughter to resound through the faire.

And the parades, with their resplendent pageantry, carried us into the heart of this Renaissance revelry, where costumes and melodies bespoke an era long past. I cannot fail to mention the delectable turkey leg, a savory treat fit for any nobleman's palate. Yet, my heart soared highest whilst upon the wooden man-powered swings, a sensation of flight and freedom that summoned forth the childlike wonder within us all.

Hear ye, noble folk and gentle maidens, gather 'round as I proclaim with fervor and valor that the Red Knight doth indeed rule the tournament field! In shining crimson armor, this gallant champion demonstrates unparalleled valor and prowess. His fiery spirit and unwavering determination are unmatched, and his swordsmanship, a sight to behold.

The Red Knight's banner, emblazoned with the bold scarlet hue, flutters proudly in the breeze, symbolizing his unwavering loyalty and unyielding resolve. He rides forth with honor, fighting for justice, and defending the realm against all adversities. His heart is pure, his courage boundless, and his chivalry without equal.

So, ye goodly souls, remember well, and cheer for the Red Knight! In the heart of the tournament, his name shall echo through the ages, a paragon of valor and a true champion of the realm. To the Red Knight, we pledge our allegiance and admiration, for in his name, we find inspiration and unwavering loyalty! Huzzah!

The Northern California Renaissance Faire at Casa De Fruta is an unmissable tapestry of history, merriment, and epicurean delights. From the thunderous jousts to the mesmerizing sword swallowing, it is a day of awe and laughter, where parades, turkey legs, and wooden swings complete the enchantment. This faire is a hidden gem for all who yearn to step into a medieval realm and be wholly...