Mac and Cheese, Pirates, Salem Spices, Night Hikes, Doggie Events, Craft Beer, Cider Fests, and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Sept 7-13

You know we're into the fall when you start seeing the calendar jam-packed with so many events!

New England Fall Events delivers the most trusted fall event coverage in area--here's why:
We know that it's never enough to just tell you what's going on in the area every weekend. We make it a priority to visit events first-hand in order to answer all the questions you may have--What's the parking situation? Should you plan for an hour or a whole day? Will you find food options for kids with allergies? Is it stroller-friendly? What about bathrooms and where to grab lunch?
We take the stress out of trying something new by helping you make informed decisions about what kinds of events fit your style and interests.

In case you missed it...Fairy Houses are kinda popular

One of our most popular articles we've every written was about the upcoming Portsmouth NH Fairy House Tour. It's clear our readers LOVE events like these! With an event as special as Portsmouth's our article will help you discover all the reasons why it's a worthwhile road trip and how much time to spend (hint--a full day).
Click to read: Portsmouth NH Fairy House Tour is a Magical and Imaginative Weekend

If you are looking for more events like these then you'll want to bookmark the following: Fall Guide to Fun Fairy and Princess Events in New England

Contest to WIN a FAMILY PASS to the Portsmouth NH Fairy House Tour

We have a special contest running right now to enter to win a win a FAMILY PASS (4 people) to the Portsmouth Fairy House Festival on Sept 25th and 26th! This is one of our most exciting contests of the season and this gem of a festival shouldn't be missed! Contest ends Saturday Sept 10th and we'll pick TWO winners. No limit entry!

Fall Fun for You and your Pooch!

One of our most beloved guides we publish is our pet-friendly event guide so if you haven't bookmarked it yet, here's a quick link: Pet-Friendly Fall Events for You and Your Pooch.

There are FOUR wonderful dog-friendly events this weekend:
Pet Rock Festival in Leicester MA
The Walk for Greyhounds and Chili Cookoff in Walpole, NH
Doggy Daze Corn Maze at Marini Farm in Ipswich, MA
and the Somerville Dog Festival in Somerville, MA!

Looking to share your apple-picking adventures with your dog? Check out our Guide to Pet-Friendly Apple Orchards and Corn Mazes across New England! Remember to share with your fellow pet lovers!

It's a Food Lovers Weekend in New England!

If gourmet mac and cheese is right up your alley then buy tickets soon for the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Mac and Cheese Challenge! 

New England Fall Events had a gut-bustingly tasty experience there and we know you'll love it too! We have insider tips on attending this festival (with kids or without) so do yourself a favor and read "Our Tasty Carb-venture at the VT Mac and Cheese Challenge".
Insider tip: If your family favors bland, from-the-box mac and cheese, be prepared that this festival features high-flavor, inventive, unusual recipes, and culinary creativity.

Another super family-friendly event with a historic twist is the weekend-long Salem Spice Festival coming up this Saturday and Sunday, September 10th and 11th.

Nestled among the tall trees which enclose the living history museum Salem Pioneer Village, this festival focuses is on sweet and savory spices and their uses throughout history--and the setting couldn't be lovelier in the fall! They will have local food vendors, herbal demos, children's crafts and more.
Read about our first-hand visit in our article "Salem's Spice Festival Celebrates New England Trade History"

The Big E turns 100 years old! 
In honor of one of the largest and oldest New England fair's 100th birthday, we've been rolling out a series of featured articles about different aspects of The Big E experience. If you've ever attended The Big E, you know that it is too varied an adventure to write one short blurb about so we aren't even going to try. Instead, New England Fall Events has written a mega-article covering the full Big E experience and we're highlighting different parts of the fair in the days leading up to their opening.

In case you've missed it, here's our Preview of The Big E and our Stroll through the Avenue of the States which published this week. If you can;t get enough and want to jump to the full article, by all means, grab a cup of coffee and sit down to enjoy!

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun

This weekend is abundant with fall fun options--there are many worthwhile events vying for your attention. Our weekly Top Picks are below but remember to visit your state’s Fall and Activities guide or Food and Harvest Festival Guide for many more events and food festivals.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for September 7th- 13th, 2016

As always, we have our Top Picks for the weekend below but you can also find even more fall events, harvest and food festivals and must-see events listed for each state at our website!

Local Harvest Dinner at the Phelps-Hathaway House

Suffield, CT    Click for details
Friday, September 9th, 2016

Annual Colonial Cider Festival
Sudbury, MA    Click for details
Friday, September 9, 2016

Night Hike at Fields Pond
Holden, ME     Click for details
Friday, September 9th, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

Twilight Hike at Sholan Farms
Leominster, MA     Click for details

Friday, September 9th, 2016
Read about New England Fall Events' visit to Sholan Farms in our article "Family-Friendly Twilight Hiking at Leominster's Sholan Farms"
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events.

Fall Newport Secret Garden Tour
Newport, RI     Click for details
Friday through Sunday, September 9th - 11th, 2016

Eastport Pirate Festival
Eastport, ME    Click for details
Friday through Sunday, September 9th-11th, 2016

Great Maine BBQ Festival
Southwest Harbor, ME     Click for details
Friday through Sunday, September 9th - 11th, 2016

Doggy Maze Daze at Marini Farm Corn Maze
Ipswich, MA     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th, 2016
Click for more Dog-friendly Fall Events.
Click for Dog-friendly Apple Orchards.

King Richard's Renaissance Faire
Carver, MA    Click for details
Saturdays and Sundays, September 3rd-October 23rd, 2016
Find everything you want to know about the KRF experience in our  article "King Richard's Renaissance Faire Offers Costumed Charm and Good Cheer"

Spice Festival at Pioneer Village Salem
Salem, MA    Click for details
Saturday, September 10th and Sunday, Sept. 11th , 2016
Read about our visit: "Salem's Spice Festival Celebrates New England Trade History"

Golden Honey Festival
Proctorsville , VT     Click for details
Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Treasure Hunt
Walpole, MA     Click for details
Saturday September 10th, 2016

Boylston Schul-Verein OktoberFest
Walpole, MA     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th, 2016

Annual Lobster Feast at Onion River Campground
Plainfield, VT    Click for details
Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Craft: Artisan Beers and Trades at Old Sturbridge Village

Sturbridge, MA   Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th, 2016

Early Guilford Days Family Festival
Guilford, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th, 2016

Wild Edibles Walk at Gilsland Farm
Falmouth, ME    Click for details
Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Annual Rhode Island Heritage Day Festival
Providence, RI     Click for details

Saturday, September 10th, 2016

Norwalk Oyster Festival
East Norwalk, CT    Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 10th & 11th, 2016

Annual Vermont Mac & Cheese Challenge
Windsor, VT     Click for details
Sunday, September 11th, 2016
Read about our visit to this festival: "Our Tasty Carb-venture at the VT Mac and Cheese Challenge". 

Salem Polish Festival

Salem, MA     Click for details
Sunday, September 11th, 2016

Somerville Dog Festival
Somerville, MA    Click for details
Sunday, September 11th, 2016
Click for more Dog-friendly Fall Events.
Click for Dog-friendly Apple Orchards.

Walk for the Greyhounds & Chili Cook-off at Alyson's Orchard 
Walpole, NH     Click for details
Sunday, September 11th, 2016
Click for more Dog-friendly Fall Events.
Click for Dog-friendly Apple Orchards.

Apple picking this weekend?  New England Fall Events has you covered with our Activity Guides complete with farm features, maps, and contact info for orchards in your local or road-trip destination in New England. Here are quick links to the Apple Picking Guides:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

Use our attraction maps to scroll and filter to farms and attractions you! Visit our Orchard and Fall Attraction state maps for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

It's a smart habit to always call ahead before heading out to PYO as some farms will adjust their hours for weather or they close to allow more time for fruit to ripen.

Garlic Fest, Jousting, Salmon Festival, BBQ and Brew Fest, Dragon Boats, Contests and more: New England Fall Events Top Picks for Aug 31st-Sept 6

The moment you've been waiting for: Fall has arrived in New England!

Okay, okay, we know that September 23rd is the "official" first day but New Englanders can all agree Labor Day is when we turn the corner on summer and embrace our favorite season--fall!  

NEW CONTESTS: Win Tickets to the Portsmouth Fairy House Tour and Boston Indie Game Festival
In case you missed it, we've posted TWO new contests for this week!
The Boston Festival of Indie Games on Sept 10th is a day-long indoor event showcasing local tabletop and digital game designers from the New England area. Test out prototypes, offer your feedback about gameplay, get a sneak peak on soon-to-be-released games, meet game designers, graphic artists, and learn about the thriving local game industry! New England Fall Events visited this event last year (avid tabletop game players ourselves) and came away inspired by the inventiveness and creativity our fellow New Englanders are contributing to the game world. It's a family-friendly event but we think it's suitable for teens and older. Enter to WIN to tickets to the event in Cambridge, MA. (Contest ends 9/6).

Who doesn't love the magic of fairy houses? We've learned through the years that our New England Fall Events fans are as into these miniature, nature-inspired, fantastic little homes as much as we are!

The Portsmouth NH Fairy House Tour (Sept 24th & 25th) sets the bar very high with their 200+ fairy houses on display on the picture-perfect Starwberry Banke woods and gardens--and it's all right in our backyard! We're giving away a FAMILY Pass (4 people) to the this year's Fairy House Tour and we'll pick two winners! No limit entry! Click here to enter.


It's Garlic Weekend in Southern Vermont!

If you are a garlic-lover and an adventurous eater, the Southern Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival is a super place to visit this Saturday and Sunday! This family-friendly annual festival is packed with interesting garlic treats - garlic ice cream and garlic margaritas!--and also plenty of non-garlic food, bouncy houses, local foods, entertainment, pizza, jams, pepper jellies, hot sauces, maple syrup, jugglers, and more.
New England Fall Events' Deb Wojcicki ventured to this delicious event last year and shared her experience with us all at "Celebrating the 'Stinky Rose' at Vermont's Garlic and Herb Festival."

Pawtucket Dragon Boat Race and Taiwan Day Festival coming up this Saturday, Sept. 3rd
One of our favorite fall events in New England is coming up this Saturday--The RI Dragon Boat Race and Taiwan Day Festival. It's a free festival full of family-friendly activities and performances. 

The Boston Chinese Folk Art Workshop showcases traditional dances, demonstrations, and other folks arts (video left) which are a feast for the eyes and ears. Anyone can sign up to participate in the hilarious dumpling eating contest (our video here) 

If you'd like to see even more wonderful performance clips from the festival, visit the New England Fall Events You Tube Channel. We have videos of the Dragon Boat Race, the Joyful Celebrations Dance, the Peacock Dance, Spears and Sleeves, and The Beating of the Drums. 

The dragon boat races take place at scheduled intervals during the morning and afternoon alongside other festivities taking place on the stage under the tent. If you're headed out to this joyful event, read about our visit to this memorable festival complete with insider tips for you to help you get the most from the experience.
"Pawtucket Comes Alive with Dragon Boats and Chinese Folk Art at Rhode Island's Taiwan Day Festival."

King Richards' Faire Opening Weekend! New England Fall Events has you covered

If you've never been to King Richard's Faire in Carver, MA then you're missing out on a a rite of passage for this annual New England fall festivals. Even if you're not exactly sure what you are getting into, we insist give it a try at least once and we're certain you'll have a great time. This festival is large (80 acres) in scale yet manages to maintain it's charm through the heartfelt community of performers and longtime Faire devotees that bring so much energy, enthusiasm, and joy to the day.

With plenty of shade beneath the tall pines, a variety of food options (beyond the requisite turkey leg), dozens of theatrical performances and jousting displays all day long, it's a relaxing way to spend a fall day. Wherever we went we heard music, singing, dancing, and laughter - what could be better than that? It's a big event and we recommend a little planning ahead to know what kind of a day to plan for. Check out our article "King Richard's Renaissance Faire Offers Costumed Charm and Good Cheer" for festival tips, planning for a family-friendly outing, and more.

What has New England Fall Events been up to lately?

Last week New England Fall Events headed out to lovely Verrill Farm in Concord, MA to feast our eyes and bellies at their late-summer Field to Fork Harvest Dinner - oh what a treat it was!
Here are just some of the highlights: Lobster and Corn Cakes with Remoulade Sauce, Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Vegetable Slaw, Corn and Tomato Risotto, Gazpacho, Corn Spoonbread, and Grilled Rosemary Pound Cake with Stone Fruite Compote--and yes, there was even more than was listed here if you can imagine!
If you missed out on this sold-out event this time around, you can still buy tickets for their October 21st "Field to Fork: Candlelight Harvest Dinner". Reservations are an absolute must!

Where is New England Fall Events headed this weekend?
Circled on our calendar for this weekend is Monday's 31st Annual Bread and Roses Festival in Lowell, MA and we might be able to swing through to enjoy Powisset Farm's Pig Roast as well!

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun
We’ll always list our Top Picks for the weekend but you find even MORE listed under your state’s Fall and Activities Guide or Food and Harvest Festival Guides on our website.

Here are our recommended activities for August 31 - September 6, 2016

Sunset Kayak at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Edgartown, MA     Click for details
Wednesday, August 31st, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Sunset Fall Events

Explore the Night Sky
Martha's Vineyard, MA    Click for details
Thursday, September 1st, 2016
Click for more Moonlight and Stargazing Fall Events

Rhythm & Roots Festival
Charlestown, RI      Click for details
Friday through Sunday, September 2nd-4th, 2016

Stargazing Night At Frosty Drew Observatory
Charlestown, RI       Click for details
Friday, September 2nd 2016
Click for more Moonlight, Stargazing, and Sunset Fall Events

King Richard's Renaissance Faire
Carver, MA    Click for details

Saturdays and Sundays, September 3rd-October 23rd, 2016
Find everything you want to know about the KRF experience in our  article "King Richard's Renaissance Faire Offers Costumed Charm and Good Cheer"

RI Chinese Dragon Boat Races & Taiwan Day Festival
Pawtucket, RI       Click for details
Saturday, September 3rd, 2016
Read about New England Fall Events' memorable visit to the Dragon Boat Festival

Bow Wow Bark in the Park
Bristol, CT     Click for details

Saturday, September 3rd, 2016
Click for more dog-friendly Fall Events.

Apple Days at the Onion River Campground
Plainfield, VT     Click for details
Saturday, September 3rd, 2016

Eastport Salmon and Seafood Festival
Eastport, ME     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd & 4th, 2016

Blues, Views, and BBQ Festival
Westport, CT      Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd & 4th, 2016

Mount Snow Brewers Festival
Dover, VT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd & 4th, 2016

Vermont Garlic and Herb Festival
Bennington, VT    Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, September 3rd & 4th, 2016

Powisset Pig Roast
Dover, MA   Click for details
Monday, September 5th, 2016

Annual Bread and Roses Heritage Festival 
Lawrence, MA     Click for details
Monday, September 5th, 2016

Heading out apple picking this weekend? New England Fall Events has researched and confirmed features, maps, and contact info for your local or vacation-area New England PYO apple orchards. Here are your quick links to the apple picking guides:

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

Looking for PYO farms in your neck of the woods? New England Fall Events' state maps allow you to scroll to find farm locations on the interactive maps-so easy! Find orchard, farm and attraction maps for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Remember, always call ahead before heading out to PYO as some farms will adjust their hours for weather or they close to allow more time for fruit to ripen.

Cider Pressing, Topsfield Fair, Pumpkin Palooza, Princess Contest, Faeries, and Apple Festivals Galore- New England Fall Events Top Picks for Sept 30-Oct 6, 2015

The grand staircase mural at the
Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT

The weekend weather couldn't have been dreamed up any better than we've had in recent weeks! Honestly, Mother Nature has been very very good to us lately and we hope that she will continue to bestow this crisp, cool, sunny weather as long as possible!

New England Fall Events has loved taking advantage of every moment of it with the many outdoor festivals and events that dot our calendar day in and day out. Our favorite season looks and feels the part and it reminds us yet again how lucky we are to enjoy celebrate this time of year and how much is right at our fingertips.

More PYO Apples varieties! Annnnnd (drum roll...) Honey Crisps are HERE!

Apple Picking at George Hill Orchards

It continues to be a pleasure that every day brings news of more apple varieties ready for pick-your-own harvesting. We know you will all be thrilled to know that many New England farms are ready to roll with their honey crisps--everyone's favorite!

Look for McIntosh, Cortland, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Macoun, Blue Pearmain, Empire, Jonamacs, Prima, Liberty varieties just to name a few. Some orchards such as Kimball Fruit Farm have plentiful PYO varieties and they are already harvesting several of their heirloom varieties too.

As always, New England Fall Events has your complete guides, features, maps, and contact details for your local or destination-area New England PYO apple orchards. Here are your quick links to our apple picking guides: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

Where have New England Fall Events Been Lately?

Lady on parade at the Revels' RiverSing

What a September it has been for us! We are still talking about our day at EnvisionFest Hartford where we were so impressed by the variety of arts-focused activities that dotted downtown Hartford and where we were able to see the newly (and stunningly) renovated Wadsworth Atheneum. 

The activities and games were plentiful and created with care. There was so much to enjoy in one day that we felt we barely scratched the surface of all the fun to be had. We also learned about next month's Night Fall event at this festival and you better believe we have it circled on our calendar! It was an impressive day all around--well done, Hartford!

For days after the delightful Revels River Sing parade and sing-a-long in Harvard Square, we'd catch ourselves humming "Somo el Barco, Somo el Mar..." and reminiscing about watching the sun set over the Charles River while the community sang together.

Getting primped for showing at The Big E

We've trekked through Vermont for the annual Pumpkin Chuckin' event and we'll have photos and a wrap up for you soon!

We spent all day Friday at The Big E and were amazed at the scale of this New England "States" Fair. There is still one weekend left to catch the festivities there and despite the draw of the food and ride, we implore you not to overlook the wonderfully educational agriculture exhibits and showings as well as the crafts at Storrowton Village. 

The paper marbling demo was fascinating and the agricultural exhibits were thoughtfully done. We'll be writing a monumental wrap-up of this monumental fall event but hoo-boy is there a lot to cover (and a million photos to sift through).

Where is New England Fall Events Headed this Weekend?
You can catch us at the day-long Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt in Taunton, MA on Sunday and we are hoping to make it to Topsfield Fair on Friday if the stars align just right!

New England Foliage Report from our favorite foliage tracker Jeff-Foliage:

This week Jeff Foliage says "The cool September nights' are having a big impact on the fall foliage colors throughout northern New England and the colors are moving south. The best places seen early this week are......"  Click here to read Jeff's full report.

New England Fall Events' Top Recommendations for this Weekend's Fall Fun

With the number of fun and charming events and festivals going every weekend it keeps getting harder to whittle down our Top Picks to just a handful. Thankfully, these are just a few of the many terrific events listed on every New England state’s Fall & Activities guide and Food & Harvest Festival Guide. 

Here are our recommended activities for Sept 30-Oct 6:

Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular at Roger William Zoo
Providence, RI     Click for details
Thursday, October 1st- November 1st, 2015

Peacham Fall Foliage Festival
Peacham VT     Click for details
Thursday, October 1st 2015

Wee Faerie Village presents Whimsical Kingdoms
Old Lyme, CT     Click for details
Thursday, October 1st-November 1st 2015

Topsfield Fair
Topsfield, MA     Click for details
Friday, October 2nd- 12th, 2015

Fall Wine Tour with Vermont Farm Tours
Burlington, VT     Click for details
Friday, October 2nd, 2015

Southington Apple Harvest Festival
Southington, CT     Click for details
Friday through Sunday, October 2nd-4th, 9th-11th, 2015

Apple Day Celebration at Gilsland Farm

Falmouth, ME     Click for details
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

Woodstock Foliage Walk - FREE
Woodstock, VT     Click for details
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

Harvest Fair at the Norman Bird Sanctuary
Middletown, RI     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd & 4th, 2015

Pumpkin Palooza
Salem, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 3, 2015

Pet Weekend at CT Renaissance Faire
North Haven, CT     Click for details
Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd & 4th, 2015

Exeter Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival
Exeter, NH     Click for details
Saturday, October 3, 2015

Prince & Princess Costume Contest at King Richard's Faire
Carver, MA     Click for details
Saturday October 3rd, 2015 (rain date: Sun. Oct 4th)
Read about New England Fall Events visit to KRF and learn insider tips for your visit!

Ringo Matsuri (Apple Festival) at Shelburne Vineyards
Shelburne, VT      Click for details
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

NH Lakes Region Barrel Tasting Weekend
Meredith, NH       Click for details
Saturday and Sunday October 3rd and 4th, 2015

Harvest Party and Cider Pressing at Red Fire Farm
Granby, MA     Click for details
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015

Freeport Fall Festival
Freeport, ME     Click for details
Saturday & Sunday, October 3rd & 4th, 2015

Day of the Dead Scavenger Hunt and Party in the Pines
Taunton, MA     Click for details
Sunday, October 4th, 2015





Heading out for some fall fun this weekend? 

Need help mapping out where to go? New England Fall Events’ state page maps are handy for scrolling and spotting farms near home or near your road-trip destination.

Orchard and fall attraction maps for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Remember, always call ahead before heading out to PYO as some farms will adjust their hours for weather or they close to allow more time for fruit to ripen.

King Richard's Renaissance Faire Offers Costumed Charm and Good Cheer

The Jousting Challenge in the
tournament arena was a thrill!

New England Fall Events took a trip down 495 to celebrate the opening weekend of King Richard’s Faire in Carver, MA. Held over eight weekends in September and October, it is a mainstay of New England fall festivities as it enters its 35^th year.

Visit King Richard's Faire every weekend from September 3rd through October 23rd, 2016. Details here.

Set inside a forested expanse, the property is a dedicated space for this Renaissance festival. Crossing the threshold from the ticketing area into the faire-grounds, we were instantly transported to another world. We’d hardly taken ten steps before we were immersed by the trill of pipes and cheerful song. A dozen-plus performers dressed in period garb sang from the staircase of a Tudor-style building and most of the folks around us—customers? players?-- sang along heartily as well. The spirit and sense of community we felt was immediate, both qualities which persisted throughout the memorable day.

Performers and guests alike sing together

 We’d be remiss if we didn’t confess that this was our first “Ren Faire” experience so we honestly didn’t know what to expect or much about the world that we were walking into. It appears we were in the minority as most of the festival goers we saw very much did and it was a merry scene indeed.
Many of the faire’s attendees embrace the theme of the day employing various costumes, as they assumed characters and accents to add to the fun. With guests dressed in corsets and crowns, soldiers in armor, boots, archers, elves, and period lay-folk, we couldn’t tell the performers from the festival guests—a perk of the Renaissance Faire atmosphere.

Many of the guests wore lovingly hand- made costumes and it was common to see couples or whole families all dressed in character.  Others added just a small touch—elven ears or a set of fairy wings—to join in the spirit of the day.  Because dressing in character is so welcome and encouraged here, the faire also maintains a weapons policy just to be perfectly clear and all guests can feel comfortable.

L to R: Wood Nymph, Atmosphere at King Richards' Faire, Character roaming the grounds

Upon entering the front gates we were handed a multi-purpose printed flyer detailing a fairground map, merchant list, menu offerings (with vegetarian and gluten-free designations), game options, and a schedule of the daily events and special performances. This flyer became our go-to guide to everything we could possibly need to know for our visit. We sat down with our flyer and circled the performances that caught our eye to make sure we didn’t miss a thing.

Wood Nymph hiding among the trees

As we usually do, we wandered the grounds to gather a feel for the event. King Richard’s Faire is certainly not lacking in atmosphere or vibe in any way which makes it all the more fun for us first-timers. Being opening day, we witnessed plenty of mini reunions happening around us. One character (or was it a festival guest?) would spot another person across the glen and they’d run towards one another to embrace and ask (in character of course!) how their year has been.

We understood right away that King Richard’s Faire was very much an annual event for folks in attendance and most likely has been a place where special friendships have been forged through the years. Owing to this, the festival maintains a very intimate feel—not just in the magical setting of the sun spotted woods but in the familiarity and love between the festival goers and performers.

The setting of the faire is somewhat majestic in its own right. The entire fairground is festooned with banners and flags, the “cottages” and other buildings all designed in sturdy Tudor-style. If you want to buy “fur” stoles, hand-spun pottery, pewter goblets, embroidered capes, custom-crafted armor, elegant corsets, or leather goods you will find them sold along York Way, Royale Way, King’s Way, and Lancaster Lane. 

The goods are sold in proper buildings fitting the theme—a detail which adds much to the atmosphere and offers a sense of permanence and realism.

The attention to detail is what immerses you at King Richard’s Faire and why it’s so terrifically fun. Sure, there are plenty of inconsistencies to the time period such as selling French fries but if you’re going to do it, why not list them as “French Fryes” which they do. An there are a fair number of more “traditional” menu items and heartier English fare such as the Queen’s Turkey Stew, Shepherd’s Pye, or you can try for classic Fishe n’ Chips, and the Lord’s Pigge Sandwich (BBQ pulled pork). They have honey mead if you’d like to go old school ‘Ren beverage or “Gluten Free Beere” for a modern innovation. It should go without saying that the ginormous turkey leg is the food of choice at King Richard’s with the requisite photo-eating-leg that follows suit.

L to R: Theme inspired menu items, Food and beverage ticket booth, Giant turkey leg

The food vendors and other merchants dress in appropriately period-ish clothing though blessedly the food vendors skip employing an accent when taking your order. There are numerous vendors walking around selling flower headbands or roasted nuts and the colorful banners and giant sail cloths strung between the trees add to the festivities.

With nearly two dozen games featured in the Gaming Glen, there are endless ways to spend your time (and your money). What other festival invites you the chance to try your hand at axe- or knife-throwing? Archery was certainly the biggest draw with kids and adults lining up to land their quivers in the hay bales. Other games like “The Giant Strike” is a Ren-faire version of the familiar sledgehammer strength swing. It was as entertaining to watch people test their hand at these less familiar games as it was to play them.

L to R: Knife Throwing challenge, Archery booth, Guest trying his hand at archery.

We took in as many performances as we could—Daniel Duke of Danger acrobat, the Torture Show, Great Cats of the World, Jacques Ze Whippeur, The Mud Show, the Maypole Dance, Draiku Aerial Show, and The Challenge of Champions—and there were even more that we couldn’t see in time. All of these scheduled shows and performances were free, take place multiple times throughout the day, and there are always a few shows taking place in any given minute.

L to R: Draku Aerial Show, Daniel Duke of Danger, The Torture Show

Jacques Ze Whippeur entertained
large crowds throughout the day. 

With additional roaming entertainment wherever we went—a drummer and guitarist over there, princesses singing over here—we were never far from action. There were swashbuckling sword shows, tightrope walkers, and musical comedy to boot. There was nowhere on the faire-grounds where we didn’t hear a performer entertaining the crowds, catch laughter at somebody’s antics, or startle at the rhythmic crack of Jacques Ze Whippeur’s whip.

Spontaneous moments of “village life” spring up when you least expect and without fanfare. The funeral march pulling a white-sheet wrapped “body” and followed by a Grim Reaper was a good example of quiet moments of daily life unfolding in any moment.

Moments from the joyful Maypole Dance

The maypole dance (see our video clip) was lively and the dancers invited the bystanders to join in the weave.  The wild cat demonstration by Oregon’s Great Cats World Park (see our video clip from their snow leopard demo) was both fascinating and very educational and judging from the crowd it drew and the oohs and ahhs they elicited from said crowd, it was a true highlight for many, including us.

The Great Cats World Park delivered an entertaining and educational demonstration for the festival goers

It goes without saying that the three daily jousting competitions are eagerly anticipated by all. Held at the top, middle, and end of the day, there’s a chance to catch a show at some point during your visit. The large tournament field is fenced in and there is plenty of room to stand for the show or lounge on the surrounding lawn as many do. There is much pomp and circumstance for this event with the emcee narrating play-by-play of the action.

The Jousting Challenge in the Tournament Arena is one of the highlight of the faire

There are grand introductions of the competitors as the armored riders on their horses strut around the field to their starting corner. Costumed women pace outside of the fenced field cuing the spectators in applause and inviting each section to rally for their corner’s particular competitor.

Spectators are treated to a skill competition—riders throw spears into a target while their horse streaks across the field or wield a lance to thread a ring. The jousting re-enactment itself was neat to witness—would Sir Joseph best Don Metri? Does Sir Wilfred still have what it takes? The crowd thoroughly enjoyed this dusty event and it’s a classic experience to have at this festival.

Our visit to King Richard’s Faire was incredibly charming. The stunning weather made our trip all the more memorable and the dappled spots of sun streaming through the tall trees onto the cottages and stages will remain a lasting image for us from our time there. It’s a large scale festival—no shortage of production nor crowds-- but for us the experience retained a dreamy intimacy and community warmth. 

Some thoughts about attending  King Richard’s Faire with Kids

It should be said although we didn’t bring kids with us to this event in our advance research made us more than a little wary about whether this would be considered a kid-friendly event. It was unclear to us whether performances such titled the The Torture Show, Washing Well Wenches (billed as “wet, dirty women, good clean fun”), and pub sing-a-longs were lending itself to families even as they offered a designated kids area, kid games, and a “Princess Academy”. 

Jacob's Ladder tested adults and kids

From a pure atmosphere perspective, kid-friendly food options, and number of activities designed especially for children, it has more than enough to keep your children very engaged throughout the day. The costumes everywhere are sure to enchant children and they’ll absorb the experience like a kind of magical, wooded, tech-free theme park.

Shows like the wild cats, magic show, and Princess-sing-along are free and will certainly hold their attention and interest. Games such as “King of the Log” where kids “battle” with pillows to stay on top of a slippery log or try to climb up an extended rope ladder without flipping over and fallings softy onto the hay. You'll find pony rides ($6) and face and body painting ($15-30), a critter catapult (6 critters for $3) a Swan Swing ($4) so you can expect to have your "extras" add up very quickly after a few games.

L to R: Spitting a mouthful of mud at The Mud Show, Fire breathing at The Torture Show, Dragon at Draiku Aerial Show

Princess Sing-a-Long

One show we attended—The Mud Show—offered a verbal disclaimer at the start by announcing it was good bawdy fun and would have many adult jokes delivered with veiled references and double entendre (mostly of the sexual nature). They even said the kids would probably laugh along with everyone else even as they wouldn’t get the jokes—from what we witnessed it was a totally accurate assessment. While it is true that the double entendres and other intentionally low-brow jokes were genuinely obscure enough to go over the head of even the most precocious child, unless you were at The Mud Show at the very top, you’d never have heard that announcement. We didn’t see anything on their sign advising parents at-a-glance to help them make a judgment call as to which shows would be a good family-fit.

Father and son in matching skull capes

Due to scheduling we only caught parts of the very entertaining Jacques Ze Whippeur and, other than the suggestive nature of the names, nothing we heard or saw made this shows flat-out unsuitable for kids. Jacques Ze Whippeur gave a hilarious rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” while snapping his whip to keep rhythm. 

The Torture Show which featured traditional sideshow feats like fire breathing and inserting long needles through the skin—ouch! (middle schoolers would love this stuff.) came with a PG-13 rating on their event sign and they offer verbal disclaimers about the show content during the show as well.

Many families would dress up for the day

The Great Cats World Park Show was very kid-friendly but due to the nature of the performers (hello, predators!) the emcee did ask that small, wiggly children not sit in the first few rows and insisted that people not move from their seats while cats were on stage so as not to be mistaken for prey—and people absolutely listened—but the content held appeal for festival goers of every age. Here's our video clip from the Great Cats Tiger Demo.

If you are going with children and are unsure about the content of the shows consider stopping by the info booth as we’re confident they would happily make some recommendations for you.

Tips for visiting King Richard’s Faire

Wood nymph at King Richard's Faire

• Most of the events are in the shade and the sail cloths above picnic tables and stages offer additional coverage yet areas like the tournament field are full sun so consider sunscreen.
• Performances are free—and there are plenty to see—but any games will cost you extra and adds up quickly.
• Cash is the way to go here—you’ll need it to buy food tickets as plastic isn’t accepted (though an ATM is available for steep withdrawal surcharges). In fact, food vendors do not handle money transactions at all as they operate on a food ticket system which is a little inconvenient as the food ticket minimum (5) doesn’t typically line up with the prices of the food items.
• Some food price samples were $4 for water, $8 for chowder or stew, $9 for Italian sausage or a BBQ Sandwich, $10 for chicken fingers and fries, $11 for a turkey leg. Tickets are $29/adult and $16/children (ages 4-11y) online.
• You can buy tickets in advance online with plastic but tickets "at the gate" are CASH only!
• We were thrilled that the giant parking lot featured different colored flags at the end of each row. It was a snap to find our car at the end of the day. Other festivals please take note!
• There are many special themed events throughout the six weekends such as Vow Renewals Weekend, Game of Thrones Day, Prince and Princess Costume Contest, the Fairies and Pirates Costume Contest, and others.
• The tournament arena can get quite dusty once the action is underway. Choose a lawn seat if you have any respiratory sensitivities.
• Dress up! If you are even the tiniest bit inclined to add a cape, a crown, or don a corset, you’ll never find a more welcoming place to dress up than this one. The enthusiasm of the festival goers to dress up—even in a small way—add so much to the atmosphere of the event. We saw plenty of people carrying their own pewter goblets to sip from wherever they went.
• If you look carefully, there are rather unconventional looking water fountains near the food “court” saving you a few bucks on a beverage. Bring your own (pewter) mug to fill up and take on the go!
• Many of the featured performers will kindly ask for a gratuity if you enjoyed their show. These performers are playing their hearts out and are very entertaining. Pack some extra small bills to express your thanks.