Arizona Renaissance Festival Grounds — Attraction in Four Corners States

March 2024 I've been going to the Arizona Renesance Festival for about 27 years. Every year, the price goes up. For many years, I didn't mind paying more as the entertainment was well worth the price. Where else could you go to mingle with knights, royalty, and riff raff all at the same time. At the end of the day, after the final and most exciting joust of the day, the knights came out to mingle with the patrons near the gate. At that time, there were plenty of shows you could take in with your whole family, children, and great grand parents included. Just be aware of the LC lable on the program. And shopping was so much fun! Back in the day, I never left without a trinket or two, and often found that perfect gift for the special person in my heart. Several times, I went every weekend, and once was there every day! However, over the last several years, as the price went up, the value went down. My family went on Presidents Day because I found a code to get half priced tickets. At $17.50, plus a small $2 fee, the price was about right. While I did have fun with my family, we could have done the same at the park with a picnic lunch for less $$$. However, we did enjoy the Birds of Prey Show, London Broil, and 1 or 2 others. Most of our favorite shows were not there. Dexter Trip had left the Ren Fair circuit several years ago, and they have brought many other balance acts in, but none have the entertainment value. I didn't see many dance troops listed either. The Joust is not the same either. A few years ago, after an exciting and entertaining joust, the knights cooled their horses and interacted with the patrons. They have since removed the stable and put some other things in. In fairness, they may still do that in the arena, I never watch the joust anymore. Some years ago, they got a new company of reenactment players. This new group seems to be more into reenacting than entertaining. In a time when anyone can click a button and see things like high-speed car chases, shootouts, explosions... an authentic realistic joust is... not much to watch. The old group of jousters were fun and exciting. I went to every joust, every year, for many years. I know the formula by heart, I know which knight would fall and in what order. Yet I continued to attend every joust every day I went. Let me correct one thing, I would skip one joust a day to attend the Birds of Prey show. But once I'd seen all 4 (I think it was), shows I attended the jousts. Since they changed to this new group, I've watched 1 and a half joust. I miss the joust show! 😔 When we went on Presidents Day, we strolled over the whole fair grounds, and the joust end was the quietest part of the fair. Didn't seem to matter what time of day, or if a joust was going on or not, there just weren't a lot of people at that end. The other end where the Birds of Prey and Adam Crack perform was packed! People moving through the streets pressed shoulder to shoulder at times. If you choose to go to the Az Ren Fair, the shows I can recommend are the Mermaids, the Dungeon, petting zoo, Birds of Prey, London Broil, Adam Crack, oh and don't leave without getting a $14 Turkey Leg, it's tradition. Actually, if you are looking for someplace to blow a lot of money, get little return, see the Renesance in its most dismal and unflattering light, AZ Ren Fair is the place for you Personalky, I would rather spend my hard earned $$$ on an evening being served a full, delicious, harty meal, and witness an entertaining joust, at...

I came in to the renfair, fully dressed up, As I was walking around I had some nice folks ask to take my picture I said "of course" they took my picture and left, I didnt ask for any tips, I didn't ask for any money for the pictures I was just happy to see them happy, then one gentlemen asked for a picture I said of course he then gave me a single dollar, without thinking of it I accepted as a "hey that cosplay is cool here you go" kind of curtesy, I was then cornered and told by security to leave the premises, i gave the gentlemen the dollar back. I then asked security what for? They said because what I was doing was illegal. And we have been watching you. (I have never asked for money from patrons in the past or future). I did not know accepting a dollar would get me kicked out on the first ever time. As I was being escorted out by an older security officer I profusely apologized, and kept telling the security officer I didn't know that it was illegal and aganist policy for imedent exclusion. ( I should have looked at the policy closer before hand, i know that). There was no dicsution on what was happening and for me not to do that it was full on get out, After exiting the front gate I had talked to the Police officer about what had happened and exclaimed that "I will change the outfit, I'll do what ever I need to to show you it was a mistake and it'll never happen again, if you still want me to leave that's okay". I said, I then stated that "my friends are still in there and I am their ride, can I please just wait in my car". The security officer said thats fine, as I was talking to The kind police officer he explained to me that it would have to be a decision from "the Grey shirts" to let me back in for the day, and there is nothing for him to do. As the PO and I were talking I was being stared down by the older security officer. As if I was caught streaking down at the festival. I went back to my car and called the ren fair as a hail marry to get somone to talk to me about this accident asking if I could plead my case to the "Grey Shirts" they said that they will call me back so we can talk. But insted I had to call back 2 hours later just for them to say nope and hang up.

It was a mistake, I have never been in trouble at a renfair before and treated with such hostility. Insted of just taking me and talking to me about the issue, I was labeled as a problem and had security follow me, and it just so happend that some guy offered me a single dollar bill at the wrong time.

I'm just blown away.

I love the ren fair, I love being able to go out in costume to make some kids and adults day, and just seeing the cool things there. but a first time "I'm expunged for the day, and we arnt going to talk to you or hear you out" even though I didn't ask for any money somone just handed me a dollar. Is kind of ridiculous.

To the "renfair" accidents happen please give second chances. Or at least talk to the people you either label or don't trust. And not just kick them out for something small. Because...

The last time I attended a renaissance festival may, in sooth, have been during the actual Renaissance. They sure have come a long way since then, especially this one, which was in its 37th year. This impressive, sprawling, colorful, entertaining, and almost overwhelmingly stimulating-of-the-senses permanent installation east of Scottsdale is a must-go for ancient fun and frolic. We attended on the next to last day of the season. The parking lot was packed and the grounds were teaming with cosplay humanity, but the size of the realm allows the Lords and Ladies to spread out sufficiently that it didn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded. Speaking of the Lords and Ladies, we were pleasantly surprised to see how many, many people arrived in costume, most of which were acceptably period correct (does Lord of the Rings attire qualify as Renaissance? I think so.), except for the guy dressed as Julius Caesar, who obviously flunked history class. And the wings. Apparently wings were common during the Renaissance. Who knew? We wore 21st Century garb and felt anachronistically attired. As for merriment, there are so many stages and so many shows that it’s probably impossible to partake of all amusements in one day, but the shows we saw all made us jovial. We especially delighted in the Birds of Prey, tightrope walker, and Firewhip shows. For victuals, of course we partook of the obligatory roasted turkey leg (yum) and Steak on a Stake (very tender), but there were MANY other choices of comestibles, including sweets. As for libations, we saw wine, beer, Meade, and spirits, all of which had been invented by the time of the Renaissance, and “Champagne,” which had not (although some form sparkling wine may have existed in Leonardo’s time). Non-alcoholic potations we’re also on offer. For post-libation and post-potation relief, we were relieved to see real privies. Diversion and sport included jousting, archery, a climbing wall, period-themed arcade games, hanging from a bar (much harder than it looks), the Dungeon Museum, and the petting zoo. Most impressive were the faire’s unpaved thoroughfares, lined as they were with members of the merchant class that emerged during the Renaissance. All manner of goods were available for purchasen, from books and maps (really impressive maps); to chalices, flagons, and flasks; to knives and swords (some of which were forged at on-site smithy); to leathergoods; to woodworking; to clothes, including doublets, codpieces, skirts, shirts, hats, and bodices. For those who prefer to be armored: helmets, chainmail, breastplates, gauntlets, gorgets, and even pauldrons and greaves! Next year we’ll dress up in our own appropriately temporal vestiary or rent costumes at the gate. YouTube’s...