The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire kicks off a season of whimsy, time travel and fun

Autumn is around the corner: Eagles fans are gearing up for a new season, breweries are dropping Oktoberfest releases soon, and local farms are planning their Halloween spooktaculars. In the heart of Pennsylvania, the state’s largest Renaissance fair celebration has kicked off its season of swashbuckling adventures and throwback fun.

On Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 29, more than 150,000 visitors will descend upon the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in Manheim to clink glasses with knights in shining armor, watch stunt and combat performers solve mysteries, and roam the fairgrounds with a giant turkey leg in one hand and mug of malt in the other.

What started as a jousting tournament in the parking lot of the Mount Hope Estate and Winery a half-century ago, now is an 80-acre must-see destination for history reenactors and fantasy enthusiasts across the country. Not to mention the larger-than-life costumes of Victorian-era queens, fantastical wizards — and with the dominance of fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero genres in recent years — anachronistic Stormtroopers, Marvel Avengers, and even Geralt the Witcher. These characters bring an otherworldliness to the otherwise historical festival. Each weekend there is cosplay and role-playing around different themes, like time travel, the wizarding world, and spooky Halloween nights.

This year welcomes the arrival of two new attractions, Queen Elizabeth I and the Absinthe garden and pourhouse, according to Candace Smith, communications and operations director for the Renaissance Faire. The annual “scenario,” an all-day performance that takes place throughout the faire, will see Queen Elizabeth arriving to meet her royal subjects, attend the ultimate joust, and celebrate her birthday through song with the villagers of Mount Hope.

The garden and pourhouse, previously a pop-up attraction, is now a permanent fixture for guests to lounge among overgrown foliage and enjoy the faire’s own Ren Faerie Absinthe and other cocktails.

Time-honored traditions like the sword-fighting tournament of arms, blacksmithing and glassblowing demonstrations, and dozens upon dozens of merchants and food purveyors will be in full force as well.

What might catch some by surprise is that tickets to the faire can only be purchased online at parenfaire.com/buytickets. There is no in-person box office to purchase tickets the day of. Be warned: Tickets run out quickly, especially toward the end of the season in October, Smith said.

In the first half of the season, now through Oct. 1, general admission tickets are $32.95 for ages 12 and up with children’s tickets for $16.95. Then, through Oct. 29, tickets are $36.95 and children are $18.95. Children under 4 enter for free.

To get cheaper tickets, check the faire’s box office website on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Tickets for late admission (at 4 p.m.) are available for $20-$24 for general admission and $8 to $10 for kids, depending on the dates selected.

Don’t forget about the furry friend, as the dog-friendly faire offers Royal Hound tickets with proof of veterinary care and vaccinations — just complete a registration form and waiver and submit a photo.

Themed weekends offer adult and children’s costume contests, treasure hunts, and events like Oktoberfest Olympics and trick-or-treating in the Shire.