Visit Mount Hope during the Holiday Open House, 11AM-4PM Nov. 23-25 & Dec. 1-2, to save the most on your favorite 2019 festival tickets! Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire single-day tickets make the perfect stocking stuffer and can be used any day during the 38th Season! Adult and Children's season passes will also be available for a discounted rate.
Join us for the 38th Season of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire on the grounds of Mount Hope Estate! A cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed characters fill the Shire with music, dancing, and more. With over 90 stage shows daily, over 20 Royal Kitchens, and scores of artisan merchants with handcrafted wares, the PA Renaissance Faire invities guests to immerse themselves in our 35-acre village and experience the fantasy!
The caste gates swing wide for 13 weekends of mirth and merriment—Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day Monday, August 4 through October 28, 2018. The Gates will open at 11AM and close at 8PM each Faire day.
Tickets Available on the Virtual Box Office
Single-day Admission: $27.95 Online/$31.95 Front Gate
Single-day Children (ages 5-11): $12.95 Online/Front Gate
Adult Season Pass: $125 for Adults Online/Front Gate
Children (ages 5-11) Season Pass: $45 Online/Front Gate
Select weekend discounts also available • Learn More!
Each weekend throughout the Faire season will showcase an exciting and unique theme that offers a different experience every time. Enjoy themed entertainment, foods, participatory contest and activities in addition to the regularly scheduled events. Be sure to return again and again to experience each theme. Learn more on the Themed Weekends page.
His Majesty has issued an invitation to the lovers of dogs and their furry companions to join him and the Royal Hounds upon the fairegrounds each Saturday & Sunday of the 2018 Faire Season. Learn more on the Dog Days Page.
Visit Mount Hope during the Holiday Open House, 11AM-4PM Nov. 23-25 & Dec. 1-2, to save the most on your favorite 2019 festival tickets! Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire single-day tickets make the perfect stocking stuffer and can be used any day during the 38th Season! Adult and Children's season passes will also be available for a discounted rate.
Get ready to live the excitement and adventure of jousting knights and royal delights with a cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed villagers and merrymakers ready to make your visit an unforgettable experience. Musical, stunt and theatrical performances, magic acts and comical mud beggars are just a few of the 90 shows daily! Immerse yourself in the days of Merrie Olde England, steeped in the allure of bygone days and knights!
'Tis All Hallows Eve upon our fair Shire, a time when the veil between the mortal and spirit world grows thin. Mt. Hope has played host to many supernatural beings in seasons past, but never any like those that now descend upon the unsuspecting town… As King Henry and Queen Catherine arrive, bringing with them King Francis and Queen Claude of France, two rulers of the Faerie Realm likewise make their presence known: Oberon, the Lord of Winter, and Titania, the Summer Queen. They disagree about when the season must change, and their argument has grown so volatile that it has caused storms and earthquakes throughout all of England. While the Master of Revels, Sir Walter Kensington, desperately adapts to having to host not four monarchs, but six, King Henry and Queen Catherine realize they must find a way to bring peace between not only England and France, but also between Summer and Winter itself. As if the stakes weren't high enough already.
Perhaps the celebratory spirit of a Mt. Hope Festival Day will prove enough to soothe the angry tempers of the Faerie King and Queen. But if not, a story that began as a Midsummer's Dream may swiftly turn to an All Hallows Nightmare.
The Shire is filled to the brim with colorfully costumed characters and merrymakers, ready to make your visit an unforgettable experience! Immerse yourself in the days of Merrie Olde England, steeped in the allure of bygone days and knights! Click the buttons below to learn more about the two acting troupes that make up the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire—The Bacchanalians and The Blackfryars.
The Shire is bustling with many shows featuring members from both PRF's Bacchanalian and Blackfryar casts to keep you busy all weekend! Please refer to each weekends Daily Writ for specific show schedules.
King Henry and Queen Catherine host the visiting king and queen of France. Never before have so many monarchs gathered upon a Mt. Hope stage! Will the Master of Revels, Sir Walter Roderick Kensington, be up to the task of entertaining four royals? Join them at the Endgame stage, and watch the saga of the Field of Cloth of Gold commence!
As the sun sets upon Bosworth Field, four knights will meet in mounted combat, as a crowd of thousands looks on. Come and cheer for your favorite knight; thrill to the pounding hooves and the clash of steed and steel. Join the royal court and all the villagers of the Shire, in the epic Ultimate Joust that has made Mt. Hope famous.
Good Master MacGuffin has not had much luck with his establishment. It seems like every new business venture he tries always winds up in a massive brawl. But this time, he has decided to attract a fancier sort of clientele. Come attend the grand opening of MacGuffin's Gallerie of Fine Arte. With such a high-class aspiration, what could possibly go wrong?
Attend the tale of Shakespeare's Macbeth, He Who Would be King of Scotland. ‘Tis forty minutes of brutal combat, murder most foul, and disturbingly comic violence. And blood. There will be blood.
The pirate crew of the Relentless Contessa is out for blood and gold...on any other normal day, but today, they are taking a break to demonstrate their fierce musicality, daring boldness, and filthy pirate jests!
Have you missed every Plot Show during the Faire day? Did you not even know there WAS a plot? Arrive to the Globe Stage 15 minutes before Finale In Song to catch up on what happened in the silliest way possible!
Kings and Queens are great and all, but what do the average citizens of Mount Hope do on a festival day? Seek out these interactive stories that you can get involved in all over the shire to find out! Provide your expert opinion at a Town Hall Meeting; help track and arrest a wanted thief (or help the thief escape!). Get involved in the happenings of Mount Hope and influence the lives of its inhabitants at these scenarios found not on stages, but in the neighborhoods all around the shire.
Take a break with Their Majesties, as they demonstrate Their musical merits and host the best of entertainment from the realm.
Leonardo Da Vinci, John Skelton and Marco Chicolini di Bravosi. Who needs luck when you have confidence? With confidence, you can outsmart any opponent in a fight. You can score free drinks off of strangers, or even better: your friends! A Man Of Confidence can rise from obscurity to being the most trusted advisor to a major Lord, and then inherit that Lord's lands instead of his children. Not that any of them have done that…Come have a little fun and learn from the best!
King Henry and King Francis, in the spirit of friendly competition, have agreed to match wits in a game of Human Chess. All the denizens of Mt. Hope, from lowly peasants to noble knights, will take the board as members of the kings' armies. But as the ring of steel fills their ears, and the thrill of battle heats their blood, will the contest stay friendly for long?
As the festival day draws to a close, the town gathers for a final celebration of song, dance, and laughter. Join King Henry and Queen Catherine, along with King Francis and Queen Claude of France, and the entire town of Mt. Hope, in a village event that reveals the very heart of the Shire.
The Master of Revels, Sir Walter Roderick Kensington, has assembled the shire's best performers (who had nothing else going on at the time) to delight our guests with a masterpiece on the stage. They present a different modern story with a 16th century twist every weekend; and of course when Sir Walter tries to get something done-- anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It will truly be a Disasterpiece!
What happens when two French Nobles and two English Nobles are employed by Their Majesties to entertain the masses? They don't know either! Watch these charming nobles sing revelrous songs and regale you with rowdy vulgarities.
The three Eutonia Sisters, proprietors of The Wild Rose Inn, are celebrating the return of their father by reassembling the family band. Join them for rousing Irish folk music and quirky family values.
Join the Master of Revels and The Lady Mayor for some literal horse-play on the chessboard directly before our Human Chess match! Bring your nipperkins so that they may join the King's Royal Mounted Cavalry!
The citizens of our shire have been tasked with providing family-friendly entertainment for our guests! Witness the story of Robin Hood like you've never seen it before, learn the tale of Merlin's other Apprentice: Murray, and join the pirate crew of the Relentless Contessa while hearing the tale of a legendary Pirate: One-eyed Willy!! Join us at the Discovery Stage for some entertainment that everyone, young and old, can enjoy!
You think you know the story of Robin Hood? You've probably never heard it like our Apprentice of Revels and her rag-tag team are going to tell it to you.
The Cabin Boy of the "Relentless Contessa" has been tasked with finding more members for the ship's Pirate Crew. Come join his crew, and witness the tale of the most feared pirate to ever sail the seven seas! Presented by The Mount Hope Players!
Everyone knows that King Arthur was the Wizard Merlin's greatest apprentice, but did you know Merlin had another apprentice after Arthur? Come experience the tale of Merlin's OTHER apprentice: Murray!
Use the arrows below to explore the 2018 Royal Performers! The streets and stages of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire come to life with scores of unique entertainers, including musicians, magicians, comedy acts, and more! Merry we meet upon the Shire streets for festivities untold! Exact performance times and locations will be available on the daily writ upon your arrival to the festival grounds.
Machetes, whips, swords & fire—the hottest show in all the 'shire! Seriously ridiculous.
Latin for 'to fall in love with flame', exactly what you'll do!
Performing tribal music with roots set firmly in their native soil's haunting ballads.
Founded in York, PA • Entertaining Alpine shows with unique audience participation.
The history of archery and its world wide application. Demos, competitions and sales.
Scandalous. Liscentious. Madly impolitic. And riotously funny. Not for the skittish.
Fusing rich textures with original lyrics and compositions—dubbed "Mythic Folk."
Traditional and original songs and instrumental music - vocals, guitar and hammered dulcimer.
World music band Brinjal plays pulsing and lyrical songss from nations real and imagined.
Music ranging from instrumental improvisation on medieval themes to traditional ballads.
Costumed charity performance organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans.
Life in the Past Lane
International Performing Mermaids
One ring family circus featuring husband & wife team and their performing puppies.
This trio of upperclass ladies brings a unique, soulful sound to sassy songs.
Lost love, lost ships, and spilt beer—prepare to be entertained with a unique harmonic sound!
Bagpipe and tribal drum band with a unique sound that calls back to ancient Celt brethren.
Demetrius can be found performing throughout the Shire, both solo and with friends.
This whip-cracking, sword fighting comic duo spreads laughter and hilarity to all!
Da Vinci believes this journey to Mt. Hope will be an unmatched celebration of humanity.
This taste of Spain will leave you wanting more!
For glory, for victory, for fun! Practing the fine art of running with a broomstick.
Alpine traditions, customs and folkdancing.
Connor McManley demonstrates the fine art of wooing!
Her Majesty's Harper, Mary-Kate Lee plays a variety of music for all who pass her way.
Learn how to hurl a caber and toss a sheaf from trained professionals!
Original, contemporary, and traditional Irish Rock—More Irish than a drunken roar.
Using stilt walking as a stage for his theatrical comedy music and balloon twisting.
This Philadelphia-based, community taiko group is made up of volunteers who perform for the love of the art.
Three X-Rated comedy shows steeped in double entendre and linger with an odor of…innuendo.
Always a champion of morality, Skelton will be educating with his friends in the Men of Confidence.
Enjoy the sounds of an all brass ensemble. Found throughout the grounds and prior to Chess daily.
Three shows, three completely different stories and three idiots in the mud! "Splash Zone" seats.
The starry-eyed and naive cabin boy of the Bloody Shame—with a trove of hidden potential.
Students build poise, confidence and friendships while learning Irish Dance.
Specializing in jousting, stage combat instruction, fight choreography, and horse stunts.
Amazing audiences with his juggling skills and making them with his wise foolery.
Music Consort performing music & dance from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
Performing a mix of traditional folk/celtic music, historical tunes, and original 'Geek Folk.'
His Majesty's Cellist can be found throughout the shire playing a variety of music.
Knightwings: Birds of Prey, is an interactive, entertaining, and educational free flight show.
Enchanting and memorable performances that leave you laughing in the aisles.
A great time playing music for and with other people and seeing the world while doing it!
Outrageous comedy and unusual magic that leaves the audience in tears of laughter.
This violinist can be found throughout the Shire using her musical powers.
Life ashore has left him bored and bursting with thomfoolery! Yo Ho!
Daily Demos at Joust Field & Living History Encampment in Picnic Grove
Create memories and experience the wonder of these mythical creatures!
Live, Love, Laugh, Launder…Repeat. Good clean fun with two wet, dirty women.
Performing original and traditional music derived from a wide variety of times/cultures.
Performing historical tunes on historical instuments in distinctive historical outfits.
Step back in time at the Shire, which is filled to the brim with Living History! Learn about clothing styles, pastimes, handicrafts, and more to get a sense of everyday Renaissance life. Please refer to each weekends Daily Writ for specific times and locations!
The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is dedicated to celebrating its most imaginative and enthusiastic little visitors. The Renaissance period was an age of discovery and reason and it seems only fitting that these concepts should be tied into the opportunities of play the shire creates to engage and entertain both nipperkins and adults alike. Bring your imagination to life at the Children's Discovery Garden, interact with the wide range of characters during various age-appropriate shows, or visit each week throughtout the Faire season for exciting events tied to that weekend's unique theme (more information available on the themed weekends page)!
Good Beer, Bad Jokes, and Great Stories! Join the Washing Well Wenches and John Skelton on a guided tour of four of PRF's finest pubs: Anchor & Mermaid Wharf Bar, O'Malley's Pourhouse, the German Kitchen, and Ball & Chain. Admission includes four samples of Swashbuckler Brewing Co. beer and a souvenir sample glass to take home. The "ladies" will be sure to keep it "clean" while the tutor teaches the group a thing or two!
The Pub Crawl leaves from Informistress (Booth #201) promptly at 4:45PM. Online reservations are encouraged, as there are a limited amount of tickets and events may sell out quickly. $8 online (on the Virtual Box Office) and $10 day-of (at the Box Office located inside the Front Gate). Please Note: Patrons must have separate PA Renaissance Faire admission ticket to enter the Faire Grounds. 21 and older only.
Each Saturday & Sunday at 1:30PM • Located on the Anchor & Mermaid Deck - Enjoy a guided tasting of award-winning Mount Hope Wines, thoughtfully paired with artisan cheeses. Includes a take-home tasting glass and special gift!
New for the 2018 season! The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is proud to offer a unique wine & spirits tasting experience at Oarhouse Provisions, every festival day in the Swashbuckler Grove! Purchase samples of select of Mount Hope Wines and Big Spring Distillery Spirits and place your order for bottles to go. Pick up your order in the Mount Hope Wine Shop as you exit the festival grounds.
So much shopping, so little time! Having over 100 unique merchants to visit during an already packed Faire day makes it difficult to see and do everything in one day. The independent merchants each operate their own business upon the Shire and look forward to bantering and bartering with Faire visitors. Demonstrations by many mnerchants show guests rarely seen art forms before their very eyes. Man-powered rides and guest services complete the festive Faire experience. Forgot something on a recent trip? Consider a one-hour shopping pass at the front gate to pick up that unforgettable item.
Interested in becoming a Faire merchant? Click here for more information!
Shire's Bookstore and Historical Library
Escape This Life-Sized Maze
Kilts and Clothing
Archery Demonstration and Hand-Made Longbows
Have your questions answered by our longtime resident falconer, Ash Cary
Fantasy, Licensed Swords
Pottery Sculpted Before Your Eyes
Return Passes & Discount Event Tickets
Button Jewelry and Unique Gifts
Pirate-Inspired Corsets
Massage, Reflexology, Reiki, and More
Fresh Steak or Chicken Sandwiches
Crocheted Hoods, Horns and More
Witchy Creations and Trinkets
Upscale Precious Jewels and Pearls
Spinning Man-Powered Ride
Unique Embroidered Apparel
Renaissance Clothing for Lords and Ladies
Crystal Sculptures
Hand-Made Pipes and Pipe Accessories
Man-Powered Sno-Cone Machine
Armor and Child Friendly Swords
Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets, and More
Fresh Cotton Candy
Everything Fairies, Unicorns, and Masks
Feathers, Fans, and Accessories
16th Century Apparel for the Fanciful Traveler
Specialty Teas and Tea-Related Gifts
Tarot Card Reading and More
Archery, Axe Throw, Knife Throw
Potpourri, Lip Balm, Herbs, Lotions, Incense, and More
Unique Temporary Designs
Add a Little Swing to Your Shire Travels
A set of Horns to Suit Every Personality
Information Booth & Official PRF Gifts
Hand-Crafted Art in Wood: Bowls, Plates, Cups and More
Commemorative Coin of the Realm—Works Like Cash on the Shire!
Hair Wrapping, Gems, and Stones
Unique Braids and Twists to Wear Around the Shire
Funnel Cake, Peasant Bread, and Lemonade
Everything the Pirate in you Might Need
Sway to and Fro on this Man Powered Ride
Hand-Crafted Pottery
Purses, Crystal, and Elaborate Jewelry
Premium Ice Cream, Milkshakes
Copper Roses and Art
Silver Adornments
Official PRF Souvenirs
Gypsy Garb
Hand-Molded Ocarinas
Beef, Chicken or Shrimp
Artistically Decorated Wooden Swords/Shields
A Wide Assortment of Steel Jewelry
Gem Panning, Nature Gifts, Stones, Gems, and More
Wax Your Own Hands or Rose; A Souvenir to Cherish
Children's Costumes and Hats
Chirping Clay Whistles
Take a Ride on the Wild Boar, If You Dare
Choose a Potion, Make a Keepsake
Hand-Crafted Beaded Jewelry
You Buy It, You Break It! Smash a Variety of Glassware
Fanciful and Fantastical Statuary
Jewelry, Crystal, and Silvery
Alongside the full-run merchants, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire welcomes a number of guest merchants.
Interested in becoming a guest merchant? Click here for more information!
Metal and Leather Works
Celebrate the 38th Anniversary Season with the very best in glassware, apparel, commemorative merchandise and more! Available in the Mount Hope Wine Shop or on the Faire Grounds at the Informistress (Booth #201) and the Royal Oui (Booth #253).
Stop by the King's Mint (located inside the Front Gate) to purchase your Commemorative Coin of the Realm with your Visa or Mastercard and use it at any shop on the Grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire; or keep it a souvenir of your visit!
All food booths, pourhouses and some merchants on the Shire are cash-only, which makes this a perfect way to turn your credit to cash and avoid missing out on your favorite foods and wares!
If purchase is less than the value of the Coin of the Realm, New Worlde tender will be given. Receipt needed for all returns.
His Majesty's Kitchens cook up an endless array of savory 16th century foods and delicious traditional favorites sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites. Enjoy a variety of dishes from giante turkey legges to shield shaped soft pretzels, and everything in between! Hover over the items below to view menus, or click here to download a printer-friendly PDF.
Please note that all menus are subject to change without notice. No outside food, beverages or coolers are permitted to be brought onto the faire grounds, with the exception of Guests with special dietary needs that have completed and presented the Visitor Allergen Card to the Customer Service Window at the front gate—Learn more on the FAQ page. All PRF Royal Kitchens are cash only—Learn about Coin of the Realm!
Wash down the delicious Royal Kitchen cuisine with refreshing hand-made Swashbuckler Brewing Co. Ales, Mount Hope Wines, Lancaster County Ciders and signature cocktails! Enjoy them throughout the festival grounds, then stop by the Mount Hope Wine Shop or SBC Brewsmiths Brewery when you leave to take your new favorites home with you! A variety of sampling events are also available each festival day!
Please note that all menus are subject to change without notice. ACT 39 of the PLCB allows a PA Limited Winery (LK) to sell liquor produced by a PA limited distillery for on-premises consumption. [47 P.S. § 4469a)(2)]. More Information.
If you have any other questions that have not been answered below, please contact our business offices at 717-665-7021, Monday through Friday, 9AM-4PM or visit our formal comment, question and feedback page to submit an inquiry.
