Minnesota Renaissance Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minnesota Renaissance Festival |
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Costumed participants at the 2007 Minnesota Renaissance Festival
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| Genre | Renaissance fair |
| Dates | August - September |
| Location(s) | Shakopee, Minnesota 44°44′47″N 93°35′56″W / 44.74639°N 93.59889°W |
| Inaugurated | 1971 |
| Attendance | 320,000 (average) |
| Stages | 16 |
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is a fun outdoor event that takes you back in time! It's like stepping into a make-believe 16th-century kingdom, full of knights, queens, and jesters. The festival happens over seven weekends, from mid-August through September, in Shakopee. This town is close to the Minnesota River and the Twin Cities.
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What is the Minnesota Renaissance Festival?
A Trip Back in Time
The festival is a type of event called a Renaissance fair. It's designed to look and feel like a fantasy world from the 1500s. You can see people dressed in amazing costumes, just like they would have worn long ago. It's a place where history and imagination come together for a unique experience.
Fun Facts and Features
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is huge! It has more than 700 entertainers who perform shows and interact with visitors. There are also 275 crafters who sell handmade goods, like jewelry, pottery, and costumes. If you get hungry, you can choose from 120 food booths offering all sorts of tasty treats. One special event is the "Feast of Fantasy," which is a big meal with entertainment.
How Did the Festival Begin?
Early Days and Famous Faces
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival started on September 11, 1971. The very first queen was an actress named Tovah Feldshuh. Back then, it was called "A Celebration of Nature, Art, and Life!" Over 25,000 people visited in its first two weekends. It began on a 22-acre field in Jonathan, Minnesota.
In 1973, the festival moved to its current home in Shakopee. It is now one of the oldest and largest Renaissance fairs in the United States. Many famous performers started their careers here. For example, the magicians Penn & Teller did their first show together at the festival in 1975. The juggling group The Flying Karamazov Brothers also performed here early on. Even singer Jason Mraz once worked at the festival selling pickles! Today, you can still see popular acts like Zilch the Torysteller, Puke and Snot, and The Danger Committee.
Festival Ownership and Changes
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is part of a group of events owned by Mid-America Festivals. They run several Renaissance fairs across the United States.
Sometimes, big events like this face challenges. In 2020, the festival had to cancel its season because of world events. This would have been its 50th year! The 2021 season was then celebrated as the 50th instead. The festival's location is on land that is leased, meaning it's rented. There have been talks about finding a new permanent home for the festival, but for now, it continues in Shakopee.
Getting to the Festival
Parking and Travel Tips
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival offers free parking at its site in Shakopee. You can find directions on their website. The parking lots are big, but sometimes it can take a while to get in or out, especially on busy days. This is because there's only one dirt road that crosses train tracks to get to the festival grounds.
Years ago, in the 1980s, you could even take a train to the festival! The Minnesota Transportation Museum offered special train trips. These trains used old railway tracks that went right next to the festival grounds. However, that train line was closed in 1991, so now most people drive.
