California Renaissance Festivals

According to many sources, the modern day Renaissance Faire began in Southern California in 1963. An L.A. school teacher, Phyllis Patterson, and her husband, Ron, hosted a small Renaissance fair as a class activity at their Laurel Canyon home in the Hollywood Hills. The couple then hosted their first public event, Renaissance Pleasure Faire, on May 11-12, as a  KPFK fundraiser.  8,000 people came to the event designed by the Living History Center.

Ron Patterson (Nov.2,1930-Jan.15, 2011) was an art director by training, and also served as Master of the Revels. His enthusiasm, artistic style and vision inspired a thriving nationwide industry of jousters and jesters.

March - April

ANGELS CAMP: Calaveras Celtic Faire  March 6-8, 2026 Calaveras County Fairgrounds Angeles Camp, CA $20-45, calaverascelticfaire.com

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ESCONDIDO: Escondido Renaissance Faire with a Pirate Flair! April 25-26 & May 2-3, 2026
Felicita County Park
742 Clarence Lane
Escondido, CA
$32-47, oldetymeproductions.com/ highdesertpiratefaire
 The Pirate Faire celebrates the Golden Age of Pirates (period between the 1650s and the 1730s,) with  Revelry & Merry Making.  Face Painting, Games, Stage Acts, Battles between Pirates, Food from the four corners of the  World,  Ale, Wine & Mead and there may even be a trial of a Pirate.

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IRWINDALE: The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire Saturdays and Sundays  April 4-May 17, 2026, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
15501 E. Arrow Highway
Irwindale, CA
$40-50 approx. + $12 parking, renfair.com 
Since its inception in 1963 in Agoura, near Malibu, more than 5 million people from around the world have visited Southern California's Renaissance Pleasure Faire, averaging approximately 20,000 each weekend. The Renaissance - to be reborn. It was a time when individuals celebrated the awakening of a new idea, when light was let into darkness. 

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VISALIA: Tulare County Renaissance Festival April 18-19 & 25-26, 2026, 10 a.m. daily
Plaza Park
W Airport Dr & S Plaza St
Visalia, CA
$20,  tularecountyrenfair.com
Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Featuring The Knights of Mayhem full contact jousting, Martial Arts Sword Tournaments, Scottish Highland Games Demo, two stages of entertainment, and a wide variety of crafters and artisans selling their wares and some great food. Jugglers, magicians, and storytellers all day long on two stages, encampments with blacksmiths, swords and fire, common folk, knights, nobility, and gypsies. You can even meet the queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth! Grub: turkey legs, wood fired pizzas, cold beer, homemade mead in the beer garden and famous Weasel Inn Sasparilly! Brought to you each year by the Guild of St. Mortimer they offer entertainers on two stages, 30+ vendors, a food court, beer garden, hundreds of actors dressed in period garb, a battle pageant and a joust. Plaza Park also has a large playground for children and many shade trees.

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May - June

GRASS VALLEY: KVMR Celtic Festival May 1-3, 2026
Nevada County Fairgrounds
11228 McCourtney Rd.
Grass Valley, CA
kvmrcelticfestival.org
Music festival, not really a Renaissance Fair, but worth a mention, nevertheless

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ANDERSON: Shasta Renaissance and Fantasy Faire May 23-24, 2026, 10a-6p Saturday & 10a-5p Sunday
Shasta District Fairgrounds
1890 Briggs St.
Anderson, CA
$17, facebook.com/shastarenfaire 
 Enjoy Merrymakers, Musicians, Merchants, Mercenaries, Minstrels and Magicians! knights, dragons ,mermaids, fairies, and more!  Renaissance village and a marketplace with over 100 artisan vendors where lively performances, giant turkey legs and meat pies await. Climb aboard a pirate ship, watch a live raptor show, take in the sights of knights in shining armor battling it out! 

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July - August

SAN LUIS OBISPO: Central Coast Renaissance Festival The  annual festival will be held on July 18-19, 2026
 Laguna Lake Park
504 Madonna Rd.
San Luis Obispo, CA
$40 approx., ccrenfaire.com
$ parking
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

Costumed participants invite you to step into the year 1585 when Queen Elizabeth I was England's magnificent monarch. Laguna Lake Park in San Luis Obispo transforms into an English Renaissance village filled with legendary characters like William Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake and a host of famous Dukes, Earls, Lords, Ladies, rogues and scoundrels.  Attend the Royal Joust. Over 50 of the finest craftsmen sell unique crafts from hand thrown pottery to drinking vessels. Shop sword and leather merchants, fine clothing and jewelry. You can even have your hair braided and get a henna tattoo.

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE: Valhalla Renaissance Faire August 15-16 & 22-23, 2026
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday
Tahoe Valley Campground
1175 Melba Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA
$16-up approx., facebook.com/ valhallafaire/
Four stages of continuous entertainment, Action packed shows, Music, Dancing, jesters, 900 costumed actors, Shakespearian vignettes, expertly staged battles, storytelling for children and adults, archery tournaments and much more. Shop over 100 merchants selling a wide array of arts and crafts, one of a kind jewelry items, woodcrafts artwork, ceramics, clothing, historic weapons and leather goods and hard hitting joust.

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September - October

FOLSOM: Folsom Renaissance Faire September 27-28, 2025
| 2026 tba
Folsom City Lions Park
Stafford Street at Natoma Street
Folsom, CA
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday
$,   facebook.com/FolsomRenFaire
Includes jousting championship

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HOLLISTER: Northern California Renaissance Faire September 13-19, 2025 | 2026 tba
Casa De Fruita
10021 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister, CA
norcalrenfaire.com

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BLUE LAKE: Medieval Festival of Courage October 4-5, 2025, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | 2026 tba
Christie's Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze
2870 Glendale Drive
Blue Lake, CA
$, medievalfestivalofcourage.org
Recreating Renaissance (circa 800-1500s) since 2003., The 11th Annual Medieval Festival of Courage. Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Come Live Your Dream! A  Featuring The Knights of Mayhem Full Contact Tournament Jousting Sat. & Sun. 12:30 pm and 3:30 p.m. | Ren faires

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HANFORD: Renaissance of Kings Fair October 5-6, 2026
 Hanford Civic Park
400 N. Douty Street
Hanford, CA 93230
Free admission, free parking, cityofhanfordca.com
Comedy, music, costumed performers and lots of vendors. Free, fun family entertainment.

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Past events

CORONA: Koroneburg Old World Festival
renfestcorona.com
The only permanently built Renaissance festival in SoCal is being dismantled as the land is reportedly being sold. Check out the website and learn about details.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.