Ren Faires got their start in the 1970s out in California and that original Renaissance Faire is still running as the Southern California Pleasure Faire. “Rennies” affectionately refer to it as “SoCal.” “Rennies” is the name we call ourselves, those that attend and work Renaissance Faires every year.
I’ve been attending Renaissance Faires since I was 4 years old. Growing up, and into my adult years, I’ve only seen their popularity grow. You find references in lots of pop culture, from The Gilmore Girls to The Big Bang Theory, and beyond. In Modern day, you find it all over TikTok and Instagram with the growth in popularity of many related aesthetics. It’s hard to go to a Ren Faire without seeing someone in fairy wings, or a mushroom hat, hinting at fairy-core and cottage-core respectfully. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the cultural experience awaiting at Faire.
Faire has something to offer for a variety of people. Gamers come to Faire in their personalized character personas with their guilds. Partiers come for the mead and to do a jig for the approval of the King, or their friends, as the case may more often be. Couples come to get married in a fantasy setting under luxurious garlands and medieval canopies. Parents bring their kids so they can be a fairy princess or a knight. Adults of all backgrounds come from far and wide to give themselves a break from the mundanity of their 9-5s to finally be a royal for a day. Sprites, elves, and other fae creatures are also among popular choices to draw them further into the world of fantasy. The faire experience is a magical time. It’s a long-anticipated step into fantasy and history. It’s a step away from reality.
For many of us it’s a chance to be ourselves. The Ren Faire coming back around feels like going home. Conventions may share a similar atmosphere in that you come away with lifelong friends and unique experiences, but it’s a different feel altogether. For one, Ren Faires have a pretense of historical accuracy. Several Faires certainly still do have the displays and instructional demonstrations meant to bring an educational aspect. Many events have a weekday, usually a Friday, set aside for field-trips, but it’s not on the scale that it once was. Gone are the “Education Days,” or “Kid’s days,” of the past, when droves and droves of schools would come from counties around to visit the Renaissance Faire. I miss those days, but the kids that came to the faire with their class in the past, are the same adults that come with their families today. Renaissance Festivals have evolved with the changing times, accepting other aspects of itself, in the form of fantasy and adventure.
While historical authenticity remains a core aspect, the fantasy dimension has flourished beyond measure. You'll always find historic elements. Some Faires are steadfast in their commitment to historical accuracy. Others? Not so much. Yet, the magic of the Ren Faire experience lies in its ability to transport attendees to a realm where history mingles harmoniously with the fantastical, creating an enchanting tapestry of imagination and nostalgia.
If you want to experience this for yourselves, Tampa has one of the nation’s largest concentrations of Ren Faires in the nation. So much so, in fact, that a great number of full time Ren Faire workers, or “Rennies,” call the Tampa Bay Area home. Within day trip distance of The Greater Tampa Bay Area, you will find at minimum 4 medium to large Ren Faires that you may need a day or more to enjoy the extent of it, and several smaller events that are perfect for an afternoon out. Below is a brief overview of these festivals. It is by no means comprehensive and does not include related events, such as pirate festivals, faerie fests, or reenactments.
The largest Ren Faire event in the Bay Area would be the Bay Area Ren Fest, in Dade City. It’s humorously called BARF for short, which by no means reflects the nature of the event. It’s really a lot of fun. I attend every day of the event, along with many Rennies, and “Playtrons,” the patrons that attend several times a season, often sporting a full kit of “garb.” (Garb, in this case, being the medieval outfits.) It runs for 7 weeks, starting at the end of January and sometimes the beginning of February. This is the same event that used to run at the park in Largo, and later at MOSI. The pandemic cut the 2020 season short. The following year they moved it to Dade City, where it has been held since.
Next, and furthest away, is the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, in Gainesville, Florida. This was my first Ren Faire when I was only 4 years old. It’s what started my love affair with Renaissance Faires and nerd culture. If I could only attend one Ren Faire, this would be it. While BARF moved because of Covid, Hoggetowne moved because the fairgrounds it has been held at for decades went up for sale. For the last 2 years they’ve held it at a site on Archer Rd, not far off i75. That straight shot up the highway made a day trip easy. It’s an extended day, but well worth the trip if you have the time to rest the following day. If you’re able to go up for the weekend, all the better. Gainesville has some great eateries and beautiful Victorian architecture to view. They have yet to announce their 2024 location. It runs for 3 weekends in January.
Closer to the area, but still a day’s trip from most of the Bay Area you’ll find the Lady of the Lakes Medieval Faire, in Tavares, Fl. This event has the community feel of Hoggetowne, with a shorter drive and the benefit of knowing what to expect from the location. It’s a smaller event than either Hoggetowne or the Bay Area Ren Fest. I had so much fun at this event. The general feeling reminds me the most of the events I attended in my childhood. It brings back a lot of memories for me. The nostalgia is strong, and the community is tight. Do not sleep on this event. You can attend it in November when it runs for 2 weekends at the beginning of the month.
Also in November you will find the Sarasota Medieval Faire, which in recent years moved to a site near the Lakewood Ranch area. It was held in Sarasota proper, before moving to the new, larger site. Now, it’s an easy day’s drive from Tampa. You should be prepared for traffic leading into it, as it is off of a two-lane highway. However, once you are there, you’ll fall away from the real world. It’s a lovely way to round off the month. It usually runs the last three weekends of November.
Also of note is the Pinellas Medieval Faire. It’s new and it’s small, but it’s right here in the Tampa Bay Area and it has potential. I for one am looking forward to attending it for the first time, and keeping an eye on it for the future to see how it grows. It’s held at the beginning of February.
There are a ton of smaller Ren Faires that come and go, but the ones above are the closest and/or the best in my experience, but that isn’t to say the smaller events aren’t worth attending. Small Faires are amazing for making friends and socializing for a few hours, maybe hop on a pub crawl, but I wouldn’t allot an entire day to them.
You may have noticed that all these events take place around the same time. There is a reason they mostly take place in the winter. The Middle Ages took place in what is known as a “little ice age.” In other words, it was cold then and they dressed accordingly. We live in Florida. It’s hot here. Most Ren Faires take place in the winter. They have for as long as I can remember. You can still dress up in the summer, but my suggestion is to attend a convention. They’re airconditioned.
Other states have Ren Faires at varying times of the year, but there is no Faire like your “Home Faire,” the faire closest to home and the one where your friends feel like family and attending it feels like coming home.
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