Texas Renaissance Festival

Ambiance: Extremely large & decorated Renaissance festival filled with vendors, food/drink stalls, and decor. Includes multiple themes/areas such as a Medieval area, pirates area, and more. I used to go to Ren Fest at least once a year - it's fun to get dressed up, meet up with friends, & explore the grounds. In terms of fun, I would give the festival 4 or 5 stars because it's hard not to have a good time when you're all dressed up drinking with friends. However, the festival itself has been lacking over the years IMO. The comedy & shows aren't impressive. They do the same jokes & ridiculous songs every year. Everything is insanely overpriced ($16 for a beer!). Not enough bathrooms for how many people attend. The list goes on. The festival could use a re-vamp or new approach given how popular it is. It's a "must visit" as a Texan but not necessarily a "must visit again" type of experience.

After 20 years, I revisited TRF on a weekend with children. They celebrated 50 years and I wasn't quite impressed. If children are free on weekends, they should have a policy in place for no smoking or vaping and modest attire. There was nothing free for kids to enjoy. Every ride was 30 seconds to under 2 minutes and prices range between $4 &$7 per person nothing is included in the admissions. I don't mind paying a wrist bands for all day rides if that was an option. Have cash on hand. I paid multiple atm fees. Did seem to be overcrowded and not much security presence. Positive take away was seeing all the vendors and unique buys. Food was quick and freshly made. Performance was pretty entertaining. .

I went on the 50th anniversary with my friends. I highley recommend buy a booklet that contains a map and all the events and vendors that is there. They sell it in the front. We parked at a regular parking. The walk wasn't bad. There were so many performers, vendors, and artisans. I was glad we got the weekend pass. You can buy the ticket in front but recommend buying it before hand. I walked around the place looking at every shop and the whole ground. The performers were great and everyone is in their renaissance era when they talk to you. Foods and drinks were a bit expensive like any other events. The clothing vendors though 🥴 they were SO expensive. I planned to buy something but they were like half of my rent. The fireworks is a must see at the end of the day. They didn't check our bags or anything. I brought in water and some snacks.

Not overly kid friendly because of the furries and other such costumes. Aside from that, it's great. The setting, the food, the drinks, and the vibe is all so worth it. I couldn't see the whole thing in a day.

Overall a solid experience, my only gripes are the rising food costs and what seems like a lack of immersion. Not sure if it was just me but the vendors and even street actors seemed more concerned about tips and profit unlike previous years. Also, it seems like the HBO series has led to a boom in popularity. So crowds are gonna be bigger than previous years.

The experience was pleasant for the first time attending. The food was good but of course overpriced because they can. I was charged for an item I didn’t purchase. The total came to $38 and all prices already included tax. I ordered a large strawberry lemonade for $8, a Monty wrap $14, chili cheese fries $6 and a regular lemonade $6. That does not equal $38. Everyone on the grounds including the public and staff was friendly and upbeat. The activities were all extra so you will need cash on hand. The food vendors allow card or tap but the activities are cash only. They do have ATMs located everywhere but be prepared to pay a bank fee if you use it. I did bring some cash but not enough so I had to use the ATM which charged me a $5.95 fee. The performances were good. It is a large area to cover so arrive and take your time and expect to stay a minimum of 2 hours. We stayed for 5 hours. It was fun to see everyone in their attire. There are plenty of vendors to purchase all kinds of items from mid-evil clothing, furs, crystals, sword, knives, jewelry and a ton of handmade items that were very interesting. Be prepared to get your feet dirty. It’s very dusty with gravel, small rocks and dirt. You will do a lot of walking. Not sure why they are still giving out 49th anniversary cups when purchasing a strawberry lemonade when it was the 50th anniversary. Kids get in free on Sundays so no ticket is required . Overall it was a good experience for our first time.

Always a great time at the renaissance festival. I hadn’t been in about 8 years and wow! It really has only gotten bigger and better. There’s a wonderful fairy type park/woods area with tons of art installations that I really enjoyed.

Spectacular 50th anniversary faire! The shows are great. Unfortunately the shows are often on at the same time, different stafes across the faire, so you have to choose which one to watch. It takes some time to walk across the faire too. I understand why they have the campgrounds! You really need both days to get the full enjoyment and experience of ren faire. You can't see all the shows because of the time overlap and you certainly can't shop if you're watching the shows. There's soooo many great shops. Did you know you can help forge your own item? I didn't until I stumbled on the shop. Really awesome. Forge a knife this black Friday!

I took the kids for the Celtic Christmas this year. They dressed up a bit for the event, which was fun. We saw some elaborate costumes while we were there! The people were nice and at times humorous, especially the shop owners. We watched the jousting and a head toss game. Yes, you throw decapitated (fake) heads for sport. The shops are expensive, but it was fun to look and we bought a ring that my daughter really likes. As for the food and drink- the mimosa was terrible. If there anything lower quality than Andre champagne? If so, it was that. The orange juice tasted just a bad. The blackberry cobbler was next-level freaking fantastic. I would definitely get that again. It was crazy good! The kids had chocolate covered frozen cheesecake, which was fun and pretty good. Parking- We did not reserve parking and it wasn't a problem. I guess it might be if your group has someone with mobility issues, but otherwise you should be okay. We will plan to return. Next time, I would like to attend the Halloween weekend!

We go every year and are accustomed to festival traffic. Coachella and ACL were fine compared to 11/16/24. We decided, we'll leave early and miss fireworks. We started to leave the parking lot at 5:45pm. At 9:45p, we were finally leaving the festival lots. As more people we leaving and intoxicated, it only became worse and those of us had been sitting for hours mixed when those just leaving: accidents in a parking lot, running out of gas. Oh, and preferred parking does not mean anything other than paying more and leaving last. Pro tip: It's not worth going.

This year's Texas Renaissance Festival was absolutely magical! We visited during Barbarian Weekend, and it did not disappoint. From the moment we arrived, we were transported to another world filled with laughter, incredible costumes, and a vibrant, festive atmosphere. The attention to detail in the costumes was stunning--everyone embraced the barbarian theme so enthusiastically! It truly felt like we were walking through a medieval village alive with warriors, music, and merriment. The food was another highlight. We indulged in a perfectly cooked steak on a stick that was flavorful and tender--just the kind of hearty fare you'd expect in this setting. Turkey legs, bacon on a stick etc! The drink options were fantastic as well, with plenty of creative cocktails, ales, and wines to keep the good times flowing. Don't worry, get your margarita yard drink! Everywhere we turned, there was something to see or do, from thrilling performances to friendly interactions with festival characters. It was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement and joy of the day. The Texas Renaissance Festival remains a must-visit event for anyone who loves good food, great drinks, and an unforgettable dose of fun. We can't wait to come back again next year!

After having come to the Texas Renaissance Festival multiple times before covid, we figured we were due for a rerun now that it's post covid. Overall thoughts - this place got bigger and more popular than ever! Parking - regular parking and handicap parking are free. If you choose to do so there is preferred parking which is closer for $25/car, or valet parking at the very front for $40/car if you don't want to walk far. Just beware that if you're coming here whenever it's rained recently, wear old shoes because it will be muddy for sure in some areas. Entrance - buy tickets ahead of time. You'll get a little discount if you buy your tickets online early instead of at the door on the day of. Or if you have a group of 15 or more people, this is the even cheaper option to save a few bucks. Screenshot your ticket or save the QR code to your apple wallet to make entrance easy and fast. Once inside, the Texas Renaissance Festival is huge!! I believe it's the biggest in the country honestly. You're immediately transported to a new world. Many people dress up and act in character. You can either look online at their website for the free show schedule, or you can buy a physical TRF program in person for the schedule of events for a small fee. Be prepared to walk a lot. The grounds are huge with a variety of food and shops to browse. There's specific areas like Spain, Italy, Polish, Greek, American, and 1 little Asian stall. If it's your first time, I recommend getting a cool, real sword. Like where else can you buy a legit sword?! There's also plenty of games and rides for the whole family. My younger cousins really liked the giant swing ride and riding on top of an elephant specifically. And don't worry, there are plenty of adults only bars and places to drink too. Downside - as others have mentioned, TRF can get expensive quick! Entrance is $25+, if you choose to get preferred parking, and most food/drink/game/ride options are $10+ each. Also if you plan on going during peak times like Sat at 11am be prepared sit in traffic entering, and sitting in traffic exiting after the nightly firework show ends. Otherwise, TRF is a must visit experience just outside of Houston. It really is one of it's kind. The shows are great and all of the vendors offer a great variety of goods and food. While its a bit expensive, this only happens for about 2 months out of the year from Oct to the first weekend in Dec. If you haven't been, definitely give it a shot! They offer camping passes as well if you really want to take your experience to the next level. Enjoy!

Ambiance: Extremely large & decorated Renaissance festival filled with vendors, food/drink stalls, and decor. Includes multiple themes/areas such as a Medieval area, pirates area, and more. I used to go to Ren Fest at least once a year - it's fun to get dressed up, meet up with friends, & explore the grounds. In terms of fun, I would give the festival 4 or 5 stars because it's hard not to have a good time when you're all dressed up drinking with friends. However, the festival itself has been lacking over the years IMO. The comedy & shows aren't impressive. They do the same jokes & ridiculous songs every year. Everything is insanely overpriced ($16 for a beer!). Not enough bathrooms for how many people attend. The list goes on. The festival could use a re-vamp or new approach given how popular it is. It's a "must visit" as a Texan but not necessarily a "must visit again" type of experience.

I still can't believe this place exists. I've always wanted to experience Ren Fest, and this year I was able to. A place out of time is the only way to describe it. From the moment you step inside, the buildings, people, shows and food all strictly adhere to the theme. It's this good natured atmosphere that really makes the entire experience so much fun! I was amazed at the size of the entire place, which seemed endlessly huge. The food was tasty, including the empanadas, mango mead and funnel cake. I also loved the trinket shops, such as the ceramic and glassware shops. I also really enjoyed the magic garden, which was no nice to walk through. The only part that was a bit difficult was navigation. There were signs, but maps were hard to find, which made finding certain spots difficult. However, the staff were extremely helpful!

Wow!! I was beyond impressed with the detail of all the buildings and the grandness of the faire that made it feel as though I were really in a renaissance village! I loved all the very tall pine trees and the beautiful nature that surrounded the faire. So many fun things to do, see, and eat! I wish there were more places like this.

This was so much fun! Loved the different theme areas / villages with their unique food and drinks. The costumes were so diverse! From the 16th century royalty, to pirates, the Star Wars characters, to the grinch and Santa/'Mrs.clause and everything in between. We had a tremendous amount of "foods on sticks". All the fried goodness you could desire. Fun games and crafts. And great presentations. Luckily this takes place in late fall so the temperature is great to walk around for hours and hours. Lots of seating in the food areas and many large bathrooms spread throughout the property. We did the vip parking for $25 and it was about a 10 minute walk y to the gates. It was great for a mixed age group. We had 13 -82 year olds in our group. Everyone enjoyed it!

Went here 10 years ago and finally had a chance to return. It's still as amazing as ever! We went on the Friday of the last weekend, which was Celtic Christmas themed. We arrived shortly after they opened (9 am) which we highly recommend because as we stayed soo many more people showed up and it got really crowded. This really is the best Renaissance fair in the US. It was huge! It took us all day to see every corner, and there is so much to see! You can spend a lot of time just wandering like I did oggling at all the amazing costumes. People are really impressive with their creativity and how they go all in. I loved seeing the families do a group costume with their kids too - so cute! And everyone is really nice and lets you take photos of them. People were full-on dragons or orcs or pirates, made creative mash-up costumes like Viking Santa or Bud Light Knight or Sonic themed Jester. Now the vendors! Wow wow wow - lots of craftspeople making super high-quality gear to get the look! We kept going into every shop and admiring the beautiful and high-quality work done on each piece. However, the prices reflect the uniqueness and the quality of the product. A hundred to a few hundred dollar for thick leather armor or multi-layer cloaks. You could easily drop a grand but you would definitely look super fine with whatever you bought. There are a multitude of shows and performances going on across the festival. We watched the fire whip guy who was really funny and put on quite the engaging and long performance. Very much worth the time. We also watched the Nordanfolk and the Tartanic band whose music were enchanting and wonderful. You won't regret stopping and spending some time watching any of the performers. They put a lot of thought and effort into their costumes and acts. Definitely recommend you give a few dollars' tips for their efforts! In terms of cost, tickets were about $25 per person, which is still a good price, with it being higher on Saturdays and lower on Sundays or Fridays. The cost of food and drink inside are somewhat on the higher end. For alcohol, mead and domestic beer around $11-$13, whole bottles of mead or wine for $36, cocktails around $16-$18 or so, and rum tastings $36. Food was somewhat higher than outside but typical for event pricing and also a good size for the price. Some examples: $5 for hot chocolate, $12-$18 for philly cheesesteak, bacon on a stick, hamburgers, wings, etc. Food was tasty for concession style food, a little salty but we enjoyed it. Of course most food is meat heavy or fried. What is cool is that they have some areas themed as different countries, so there is a Greek area, Italian, French, and Polish area, serving area-specific foods like gyros, pierogies, pasta, etc. Desserts are also there like cheesecake on a stick, ice cream, kettle corn. Small bags of kettle corn for $7.50. You get the picture. The jousting was one of the things we were most excited to see. It was fun to watch and cheer on our knight but it felt rather unsatisfying because they would tell a part of the story at each jousting instance, so you keep having to leave and return to get the next part. We eventually got tired and skipped the last one. It also got super crowded after the second jousting and we could not find a seat nor even standing room to see. Highly recommend you go at least 15 minutes early to secure a spot. Restrooms were ample and clean. So these were a lot of my favorite parts of the RenFest. Some reasons for the 4/5 instead of 5/5 is because the prices are just a tad high, food was decent and too heavy or salty, we weren't given a map (I think they sold souvenir maps) which would have been useful for such a big area, and we wish the jousting could have been a full show so you didn't have to keep coming back to figure out who actually wins the whole thing (and the audio was pretty bad at the jousting so we couldn't hear what they were saying too well). Despite those small detractions, we really enjoyed our time there and definitely want to come back next year with costumes!!! If you haven't been yet, it's super worth a visit. Plan to stay all day to take in all the fun, and also plan to spend!!!!

I cannot rate the RenFest high enough!! 10/5 stars I have been to the Texas RenFest literally every year of my life and it's an understatement to say that I love it immensely. It is the biggest renfaire in the U.S. and is chock-full of fun, entertainment, food, and experiences to be had. They are open rain or shine so there's the chance you'll be met with a downpour just as I have a couple of times, but that never stops the performers and attendees from having a good time. With this year being TRF's 50th Anniversary, things were even more fun and magical with all of the excitement from the extra celebrating! To get an idea of what's there, a few of my favorites shows are the Fire Whip Show with Adam Winrich, the belly dancing shows at the Greek Pavilion, the Gypsy Guerilla Band, and the Full Steel Combat Tournament in the coliseum, not to the mention the fire dancing and fireworks show to end the day. My fiancé always gets himself a chocolate covered banana from Don Felipe's Casa del Sol and we always split a gyro pizza and baklava from Achilles' at the end of the day as a sort of foodie tradition. Of course, we also stuff ourselves throughout the day with other tasty food and drinks as well! Mead is everywhere for purchase, there are tons of peddlers selling merch in the streets amidst the crowds, and there are so many different shops for faire specific clothing and costumes, leatherwork, real armor and weaponry, and a whole bunch of other amazing things that you would not normally find outside of faires. Traditional crafts, demonstrations, and forgings, modern carnival rides and attractions with a renaissancey twist, you name it, TRF has it. There's a lot to see and do, and it can be overwhelming to try to get to everything in one day, so I'd highly recommend attending for a full weekend so you can get around to everything you want to. Everyone I have taken to the Texas RenFest over the years has been converted into a fan, no matter how excited or skeptical they may be of my enthusiasm, so I know without a doubt that if you decide to go, you will have the absolute best time as well. Go have yourself some fun! Huzzah for TRF!!

Parking was insanely easy and free. Being able to walk around the grounds truly made me feel like I was living life back in the 1800s! They had knights in shining armor, old school rides, the best food! Knife and sword making classes and more! So many areas we could take photos and just experience our time there! One of my biggest takeaways was that everyone who worked as the grounds staff remained in character and kept the grounds looking clean! There was also a really cool petting zoo with an elephant!!

We've gone twice now and camped both times. The camping scene is great compared to the Sherwood Forest fair, because it's very spacious and easy to find a spot in the family camping zone. It's more crowded in the non-family zone but also bumping if you're trying to party. There is a train that borders the campgrounds though and make horrible noise multiple times each night, which truly sucks. The fair itself is like every other ren fair - jousting, shops with satchels and swords, meads, Turkey legs, you name it. It's all there, just more of it! You can walk for hours and not see it all. You can spend every penny you own and buy only a fraction of it too.

It's very organized and the food is yummy! Parking was great when ww paid a $20 up charge but well worth it! Lots and lots of walking and things to see! We don't get to go too often but always have a blast when we do! It was their 50th Anniversary so we got a commemorative cup! Great memories with great friends!!

I visited as a kid and coming back this year unlocked a lot of childhood memories! Everyone dresses up for this event, and I saw so many cool costumes ranging from pirates (pirate themed weekend) to medieval to furries to anime. Not dressing up would make you the odd one out. The fair was packed with people on a Saturday, but there was no issues walking around or getting seats at the various shows. There are a ton of business selling food, trinkets, toys, swords, etc. Interesting products, but I am not the targeted demographic, not to mention most things were pretty pricey. I felt that the workers at a small minority of these shops were kinda pushy with trying to sell you something, but most places will let you browse in peace. Food and drinks looked very tasty - the bacon on a stick is a huge piece of pork belly on a stick. I shared a turkey leg ($19) and a large lemonade ($8) with my girlfriend and it was more than enough food for us. The turkey leg was smokey and flavorful, but dry at parts. Lots of rides and attractions too, but again $$. The shows were fun to watch. We saw some carnival tricks, full metal combat, and jousting. Jousting was my favorite one by far! I would recommend coming here once in a long while. It felt like the rodeo, but for people who enjoy cosplaying. Everything is expensive, the shows are entertaining for a first timer, and it's far out of town. There is even traffic in the small town just before hitting the festival.

Ren-Fen has officially celebrated its 50 year anniversary here in good ol' Todd Mission, Tx!! I enjoy coming here with friends and older family members to have some beers and great bites! Make sure you wear comfortable shoes at all times since you will be walking a lot and a lot of the area is out in wooded area. Food is great, from a turkey leg, funnel cakes, or just some mead while you watch a show. However, make sure that you are read to drop some major cash because it can be quite pricey. Watch out for some that maybe had a bit too much to drink, it can definitely sour an experience for a family so make sure you leave the kids with the babysitter.

New traffic controls definitely made this a better experience. I'd highly recommend paying the extra for parking. It was a 3 minute walk instead of 20. Food seemed better this year as well. Rides and vendors were plentiful. A great way to take a walking break was to find one of the available sit down pubs and have a few drinks or something to munch on. No matter what you do, everything adds up quick. Plan this is not a cheap day. Also bring some cash for rides and a few of the vendors.

We had a terrific time. Lots of food, a whole lot of entertainment, lots of costumes, lots of fun!!!

I love the food and fun activities! The shows are amazing especially the barbarian bombshells! Such a fun place for all ages to enjoy everything!!!

A life time experience must. The place is so big that I don't even think you can see it all in one day. The food was one of a kind. The costumes and the shows were spectacular. Definitely coming back all dressed up. This is worth 5+ stars and that's an understatement. My review can't describe how awesome this place was. The parking, yes, you'll be walking about a half mile depending at what time you get to enter. This place was excellent.

The atmosphere was amazing. There are tons of food and activities to participate in. Even when it rains, it's still a good time. I was told that the RV park is additional fun, but that wasn't in the cards for me this go round.

Always a wonderful day out there. So much to do and see. Fireworks are awesome as well.

What an amazing ren fest !! The actual festival is huge and has so much to see and do. We tried out some different beers and mead. Are all kinds of different foods including the must have turkey leg and steak on a stick (yes a steak on a stick)! Delicious. The comedy shows were witty and appealed to the adult crowd. There was burlesque show on the pirate stage that very entertaining. It was the largest crowd they have ever had this past weekend with 52k patrons. What a ride and the people watching was epic. Word to wise do not bring your favorite shoes as it gets really muddy when it rains there. The artisans and all the shops was enough to fill a whole day browsing around. Wish we had known about this festival for years. We will be back!! We stayed 3 nights at the adjoining campground. That's a whole other wild story. lol

Something you must experience. I can't really do a review and give it justice. You'll see everything you could ever imagine and then see what you had no idea existed. Gypsies, pirates, assassins, jousting, fire shows, puppet shows, dancing, acrobats and tons of shopping!!! Wear shoes that can get dirty, a camera and cash cause you'll need it. Watch some shows they're definitely worth it. I loved the birds show. Can't recall the name but you can't miss it. All the food. Let me say that again another way. EAT SOME FOOD. HAVE SOME MEAD Have a great time.

I love coming to the renaissance festival! It's always a great experience, even if not everything goes well. I went on the last Saturday of the season and got stuck in traffic that was so bad it took 2 hours to travel about a mile. That was unlucky, but I had good company and it's a funny story now. We went again the next day and had absolutely no wait at all. And the funny thing is, we had more fun the first day! There's a ton of shows and entertainment, but I love the games/activities like archery, crossbow, throwing stars and knives, tests of strength, paintball, etc. They're all such fun activities you don't come across very often except for here! The cost of food and drinks adds up pretty fast, but almost everything I had was delicious and it's a once a year event so I think it's worth indulging. Walking around the grounds freely with a bottle of delicious mead in hand, a giant turkey leg, or a yard of spiked butter beer is a unique experience that gives patrons a sense of freedom one doesn't come across everyday and it's overwhelmingly liberating! Basically just great vibes all around! I got to try a ton of food between everyone in my group, and everything was either surprisingly really good, or pretty disappointing. There weren't many disappointing items, but those included the monte cristo sandwich, the bread bowl, popcorn shrimp, and popcorn chicken. The sandwich had too much dough, the bread bowl's soup just wasn't good to anybody in the group, and the popcorn chicken and shrimp were dry. Now for the goodies! I loved the fried crab cakes, fried alligator, tornado potato, fried pickles, crawfish mac and cheese, steak burrito, gyro, steak on a stick, and turkey legs, of course! The batting average of the food was pretty damn good in my opinion, and one of the main reasons I come to the renaissance festival lol as a foodie, I don't see how you could miss out on such a wonderful food experience!

The largest renaissance fair in the nation. I've been coming here for about thirteen years and I was hooked on the first trip. The sights, sounds, and food are amazing. The shops are filled with craftsmanship that is top notch. This is a place to have fun and experience all it has to offer.

Great stuff. Fun times. Great food. Memories made. Turkey legs awesome. Family had a great time.

Well, it's a nice festival. It is big and offers a lot of things to do. The issue is the prices. A Turkey leg costs $19.00!!! Yes. I can buy a whole turkey for that price!!! The same about the sandwich. We paid $15 for our child to spend 30sec hanging from a bar. If you go there to walk around and look at the shops, it's ok (if you don't mind paying for the tickets). But if you have kids, want to eat/drink, and enjoy the games... BE PREPARED!!! It is very expensive especially in this economy. And we thought that the festival in Florida was expensive... ‍ We won't come back this year. I usually buy the season tickets but not with these prices...

I'm a huge Renaissance festival fan. I go to the one in Colorado every year, and it blows my mind. Every year. I've been told that Texas is bigger, better, and more festive. Unfortunately, I gotta disagree. First issue--the cost of everything. Admission--whatever. I'll pay to play. But $13 for a White Claw and $4 for a water was ridiculous. $7 for a naked cob of emaciated corn that has been sitting around hours after it was cooked? Ok. I'm down to tip, but for the love of god, give me an effing HUZZAH when I give you the goods! The employees had very little sparkle or magic. Folks running the booths were just vaping and looking bored. Like, nobody was bawdy. Is this a Texas thing?? Do innuendos not exist for y'all? One of my favorite parts of the Colorado festival is the Tomato Insult Man. It's hilarious!! He hurls painfully accurate insults at the people who pay to throw tomatoes at this face--fair trade. And he also works hard to make the audience feel included and "in" on his jokes. But here, both the tomato man and dunk a wench were lobbing easy, unoriginal insults at everyone EXCEPT the people who paid to throw crap at them. Whaaa?? Dunk a wench tried to heckle me--and I was able to out-heckle her? Really? That's not how the game goes. And get better at your insults. Boring. Next time we visit, I'm getting loaded in the parking lot and will bring in my own feast of medieval proportions, stuffed into my satchel, as our forewenches would have. And will also stick with Colorado.

I had so much fun this weekend! I never expected it to be so big.. I mean I know it's the largest in the whole USA! But literally you can be there for hours exploring, eating and watching shows.. The food isn't bad either...

This is an update for my review as I have been attending TRF for over 20 years. I have dropped my rating to 3 star and here are the reasons listed in largest complaint to least. 1: the camp grounds has turned into a giant EDM rave with people fighting over who can have the loudest speakers and brightest lights. It has taken the Renaissance faire feel out of a very immersive experience. And has become increasingly more dangerous. 2: they have gotten money hungry. This used to be an affordable place to get away and have a blast. As crowds rise they have gotten greedy and it's almost out pricing a lot of folks on gate entry costs and campground cost. Just in the past 5 years prices to camp have risen about 300% with their new payment system. What campground in the world charges per person? This was once a place you truly walked into and felt disconnected from the world in a good way, now it just feels like... the world as it is. Disappointing.

Review coming ! Just wanted to share that the food is worth it ! It was absolutely delicious. Avoid the Chinese food booth as the rice and lo mein were gross.

The Texas Ren Fest is the largest one in the nation. It is quite a distance from Houston proper. The 249 tollway was halfway open today cutting our commute down a tad. You prob want to get there early to get a decent parking space. The festival grounds are laid out into distinct areas such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Poland, Scandinavia with the large arena grounds towards the back of the property. There is lots of entertainment to be had here. One in the form of performances and rides. Most rides go for $4 some are $5 and one was $10. My favorite activity was the tomato throwing at a guy with some witty humor. I enjoy coming here with the family almost every year but they have taken inflation to their advantage and they really stick it to you on their prices for food and beverage. I think I may need to take out a loan next time I come here lol. Overall our visit was good just wish the pricing was a little better and not so many people smoking everywhere.

This festival has gone down, the magic is gone. The food prices have gone up & everyone is asking for tips. The shows have become non entertaining and the microphones are useless. The parade has also become a way to advertise the shops and not to entertain the people. Modernizing a festival based in the 16th century has ruined this faire. Overall it's becoming a place not to visit each year. The only good thing the faire has is: food is still good, fireworks & fire show are great, the music is entertaining and the rides are fun for the kids. Hopefully the RenFest will hear me out & start implementing some changes to bring the magic back.

I loved this renfest and wasn't expecting to, based on my MI renfest experiences. First off, unlike the MI one, they have real bathrooms! I have Crohns so this is a plus. Second, they have a TON of food options, the caveat being everything is pretty expensive - a turkey leg was $18 and a gyro was $12, for example. The best things I ate/drank were the honey mead - not the standard festival mead, at $33 per bottle, which we also tried, but the $40 per bottle one which has a sweeter taste - the empanada, and cheesecake on a stick, which ended up being HUGE. The shows are also fantastic. We saw the washer women one, Tartanic (bagpipe band), a pirate burlesque show, birds of prey, and the fire whip show. Definitely stay until the end (730pm) because they do an awesome fire show as well as fireworks. My boyfriend, his friend, and myself had a great time here and I'd definitely come back when in town again. The festival runs through Thanksgiving weekend usually, FYI.

This is always a great time and I love that they have good bathrooms here but you will be paying a lot of money for everything it is insane. OK now that I've gotten that onto the way full disclaimer I've been going to these things since I was probably 15 years old so this is in my blood and I don't think I probably could give a bad review about it but I will do my best to be fair and open and honest. Location so for us this is like in the middle of nowhere and I'm pretty sure it is and usually they are that way so that they can have monopoly and full use of the land as needed seasonally. No matter what it is going to be a drive for done near everybody. Parking So again keep in mind I have been doing this for forever so the ridiculous walk to the car from the fair is just what is expected however I did like that at least there is some options to have closer parking however of course you're going to have to pay for that. Things to do so this is what is fantastic about this place except for the food which again you are going to pay an arm and a leg for there is so much to do and to see without having to spend any additional more money than the entry ticket. I was so excited that there was stuff for kids maybe I just never noticed it before but it was really cute that there was a couple of things just for the kiddos to do and at other affairs that I've been to which the last one was in Maryland besides having some pretty cool sides they really didn't have anything. Food so I will say if you are wanting to get a variety I would 100% pick up those $5 maps and plan out some good food if you don't you're probably gonna miss out on some really delicious food I always go for the cabbage rolls and I think they're great but I know some people are big fans of other things. Overall I think this place is fantastic and I will continue to go every single year. Note make sure that you bring really c***** shoes if there is even a sprinkling of rain your shoes are going to get f*ed up because it becomes super muddy!

We look forward to TRF every year! My daughters are seven and nine and they are the perfect age to enjoy games, rides, and nearly all the attractions. We love the people-watching too! Our favorite food we tried this year was the Philly Cheesesteak fries. So delicious! My henna artist was a high school aged girl who hadn't done henna before the start of the season, so that wasn't ideal, but she did an ok job. The face painter did an amazing job. On my youngest. The updated "Haunted House" was cool, we did both options there. The girls got real fox tails and bird whistles to annoy all those around. We will be back come October!!

Traffic in and out is ridiculous. After 50 years, they should have figured out traffic management by now. Spent more time getting in and out than at the festival. And we came and left early. :-(. This used to be super cool. So sad they can't figure it out.

I have lived in the Houston area for almost 20 years. I have been to the fair only once and it was 10 years ago. Now, that I have kids we wanted to take them this year. I purchased tickets which were non refundable or exchangable for this Saturday. I understood and purchased them. We spent 3 hours in the car waiting for parking!!! We decided to turn around and leave. We took it at a loss financially and it was so frustrating to sit in the car with our kids. They had no one direction parking. At one point we saw people getting out and walking. Which was faster than waiting. It was so disappointing and I was so upset. I really wanted my kids to experience this event. It wasn't posted that traffic is heavy during certain times. They know how many tickets they sell per weekend and how many people they can handle entry. I will never try to go to the festival ever again.

It's always a fun time at the RenFest. It can be on the expensive side but I always have fun. Lots of cool shows and good food. Great for kids and adults alike. Check it out!

Wedding coordinators are incredibly unprofessional, rude and uncooperative!! Threatened to have father of the bride removed for asking about a dressing room. If you want to get married there do not expect to get any assistance. You are on your own!!

Loud, in your face, for the love of fun and all things weird kinda place. If you haven't been, you have to go at least once. The Texas Ren Fest is a yearly occurrence that my family and I have attended since I was young. Every year ads fond memories, and the excitement for the next. There's lots to do, eat, see and drink. Bring your money, and be prepared to shop. Fun for the whole family, the crew is very friendly and bring the event to life!

What a scam. It's been a couple of years since I've been and I was ready to go and pay the price this year despite the negative reviews. I get on at 11:30pm to buy tickets and the website has you in queue until midnight to buy the tickets at 20+ more dollars for day of admission! Almost $100 for two people just to get in the door! That's insanity! Forget it! I guess this was just my sign not to waste the trip and money.

This is a very interesting event, a great reason to wear a custom. Tried polish food, shrimp fries, pulled pork fries and thought it was ok. The polish food was probably the best. Unfortunately I don't remember the names of the places I tried them at.

You have to make time to go to the festival when it starts It's only around for a few weekends so don't miss out. The food is great. The shows are also great. Wish they served more hard liquor throughout the festival but thats my opinion. Make sure to spend the entire day there in order to get the best experience. Lots of fun.

Super expensive this year. Went on a Sunday so kids got in free but $19 turkey legs and $20 elephant rides not to mention beer prices mean that we will have to stop attending this 40 year tradition.

I finally made it to the Texas Renaissance Festival and now I can't wait to go back. For the past 22 years we had our family weekend planned out with one of Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Football, soccer, softball marching band, more softball and then a lot more softball. I think true retirement is when a parent gets their life back and pick what we want to do. Back to the review.... About an hour NW of Katy in the middle of horse and cattle ranches lies one of the greatest anachronisms I have ever played in. My high school education told me the Renaissance took place in Medici Italy in the 15th century. Wardrobe and art will reflect that period. So, I'm more of a 18-19th century history buff but I can say declare that's the following are anachronism: me, the guy dressed in desert camo, the scores of Scots in their breezy kilts, the many swashbuckling men and their pirate babes. Oh and the shots of tequila. I feel this lack of form is one of the reasons the TRF is so fun. You can show up as a Jedi Knight (I counted four) and be accepted. After my first recon now I'm starting with 4

I fully enjoyed camping and checking out the Renaissance Festival. The ambiance is very welcoming and seeing all the great costumes is so inspiring. Next year I plan to partake in the themes. We participated in the Cliff hanger where you try to hang for 100 seconds to win a $100! My son made it 60...so we will be back next year for the $100. The Turkey leg was yummy and the lemonade. Attending a jousting session is a must! You get to cheer on your own champion and really get the supporter feel.

Fun fun fun If you have young children inquire about the school days. They make it educational and lots of fun. they close the adult stores.

Always an amazing time! Such a unique experience and the best people watching ever. We never miss a year and always look forward to it.