Texas Renaissance 45th year celebration
Courtesy photos The Texas Renaissance Festival is celebrating its 45th anniversary with lots of exciting events planned for the 2019 season which began Oct. 4 and runs for nine weeks at the TRF grounds in Todd Mission.
TODD MISSION– The Texas Renaissance Festival’s King and Queen have issued a decree that the 45th season of the nation’s largest and most acclaimed Renaissance-themed event will be more entertaining than ever. Located 50 miles from Houston, this year’s Texas Renaissance Festival opens Oct. 5 and runs nine weekends, in addition to Thanksgiving Friday, through Dec. 1. Revelers will delight in food and drink from around the world, 19 stages of entertainment and music acts, and games and rides for patrons of all ages. Hundreds of vendors from across the country will also sell their wares on the festival grounds.
The 45th season will feature nine themed weekends, including Oktoberfest, 1001 Dreams, Barbarian Invasion, Pirate Adventure, All Hallows Eve, Heroes and Villains, Highland Fling and Celtic Christmas. A special themed weekend Nov. 2-3, Return to the Renaissance, celebrates the festival’s 45th anniversary and takes a nostalgic look back at the festival’s beginnings.
Festivalgoers can join in the merriment of new entertainment this season with Opal and Jade, a bawdy singing sister act, and Full Armored Combat, where knights battle each other for glory in full suits of medieval armor with weaponry. Returning to the stage at the Cloisters and the Green is the Celtic musical family the Dublin Harpers.
New games added this year include the Cliffhangers Challenge, which tests participants’ strength and endurance, while DaVinci Arcade focuses on intelligence with science-based period games.
Eight new vendors will be on-site, including food vendor Lion’s Share Tapas. Dragon and Unicorn Coffee will offer hand-roasted coffee beans and cold brews. Locally based Blazn Brazen Galleries’ metal sculptures will also be on display. Handmade daggers, swords, pole-arms and pole-axes from Creations, children’s swords and costumes from Khalid Medieval, and hand-crafted, Texas stone
oil lamps from Candlelight Rocks will also make their debut at the festival this year. Rounding out the new vendors are the Flying Hun, showcasing Asian-inspired archery and The Holiday Shoppe, featuring handmade Christmas décor.
Several new attractions that premiered last year will return, including a pub crawl, where revelers can join a guided tour through the festival village while enjoying unique beer or ciders at each stop. Other offerings include: The 1574 Founder’s Club, an exclusive concierge club available for season and day memberships; Tea and Strumpets for twice-daily tea service and wine-based cocktails; full- service spirits at the Barbarian Inn; and Great Scot Scotch Tastings.
“We are thrilled to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Texas Renaissance Festival this season,” said Joe Bailey, CEO and General Manager, Texas Renaissance Festival. “We look forward to continuing the magical enchantment that can only be found within the gates of the festival.”
The King and Queen invite lords and ladies of the realm to purchase a Royal Season Pass to commemorate the 45th festival anniversary. The pass includes admission to all 19 days of the festival, preferred parking access, a free souvenir program, free admission to the festival’s After Dark venue for adults 21 and older, and discounts for camping and the Dragonslayer gift shop. The Royal Season Pass is available online until Sept. 30, 2019, for $299.95 plus taxes and fees.
Reduced priced tickets for this year’s festival are available in advance at Costco and Groupon. Tickets are also available online at TexRenFest.com and at the gate for $34 per person for ages 13 and older and $17 per person for ages five to 12. Children under four are always free, while children under 12 are admitted free to the festival every Sunday. General parking is free. Paid parking options include preferred parking for $15 in advance plus processing fees or $20 at the gate and valet parking for $25 in advance plus processing fees or $35 at the gate.
About Texas
Renaissance Festival
The Texas Renaissance Festival is the nation’s largest and most acclaimed Renaissance-themed event. Established in 1974, the event attracts more than half a million visitors each year to its 55- acre recreation of a 16th century European village. This immersive experience features world-renowned live entertainment, works by master artists and craftspeople, award-winning food and drink, hand-powered rides and games, and more than 100 interactive characters during its nine themed weekends rom Oct. 5 through Dec. 1, 2019. The festival and adjacent Fields of New Market Campground are located in Todd Mission, Texas, 50 miles northwest of downtown Houston. For more information, visit TexRenFest.com.