LivingTravelA visitor's guide to the St. Louis Renaissance Fair

A visitor's guide to the St. Louis Renaissance Fair

Go back in time and enjoy the fun of the St. Louis Renaissance Fair. The annual event draws crowds from all over the St. Louis area. Highlights include live jousting demonstrations, sword fighting, a fairy forest, and a recreated 16th-century French village.

The Renaissance Fair is actually two separate festivals this year. The Renaissance Fair is typically every weekend between late September and mid-October. It is located in Rotary Park in Wentzville, Missouri. That’s about an hour from downtown St. Louis. To get to the park from St. Louis, take I-70 west to Wentzville Parkway (exit 208). Turn right on Wentzville Parkway, then left on West Meyer Road. The entrance to the park will be on the right.

What to see and do

Renaissance Faire is a recreation of a 16th century French village, complete with period costumes, shops, crafts, food, and music. Visitors can stroll through the market buying all kinds of artisan products. There are also more than a dozen food stalls selling kabobs, roasted almonds, gyros, brats, beer, ale, and other fair foods.

One of the most popular events at the Renaissance Faire is the live jousting demonstrations. Knights face each other in a battle to be the best. There are also sword fights, juggling, a Viking camp and a boat show.

For the kids

The Renaissance Fair has many special offers for children. Kids can spend time at the Craft Corner making pirate hats, magic wands, and other projects. They can also visit the petting zoo and the fairy forest. There are also games to play in the Children’s Kingdom, and young visitors can win a special audience with the Renaissance Faire King and Queen. For more information, including the full schedule of events, see the St. Louis Renaissance Faire website.

About Rotary Park

Rotary Park is a 72-acre park in St. Charles County. It has an amphitheater, playground and a large lake for fishing. Walkers and runners can get a little exercise on the 1.3-mile walking trail. In addition to the Renaissance Faire, Rotary Park also hosts several other events throughout the year, including the Pirate Festival and the Holiday Night Lights display. For more information on park amenities, visit the Rotary Park website.

St. Louis Magic House is the nation's best attraction for kids

In 2005, Zagat's "America's Family Travel Guide" called The Magic House museum in St. Louis the best attraction in the country for kids. Yes,

Shopping at Soulard Farmers Market

Soulard Farmers Market is the oldest and best known farmers market in the St. Louis area. It has been a landmark in the Soulard neighborhood for

Wild lights at the St. Louis Zoo

The famous St. Louis Zoo celebrates the holiday season in style with Wild Lights. USA Today has named Wild Lights one of the top three

Missouri History Museum in Forest Park

When you're looking for free things to do in St. Louis, Forest Park is the place to go. The park is home to many of St.

Visit the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis

You can't talk about beer in St. Louis without mentioning Anheuser-Busch. The world-famous brewery has been a part of the city's landscape since 1852. The

More