Get to know the Renaissance fairs taking place across the realm of Pennsylvania in 2025.

Hear ye, hear ye! If you love having a good time, like cheering on your favorite knight during a spar or jamming to your favorite song on the lute, you should make plans to attend a Renaissance festival—also known as a Renaissance fair or “ren faire”—in 2025.

This year, a handful of festivals are taking place across the state to recreate the good parts of the Renaissance era (mead! games! costumed entertainment!) without the bad (plague!). Festivalgoers often dress up in Renaissance or even fantasy world attire, leaning into the opportunity to time travel that Renaissance fairs provide.

You can check out major festivals like the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in Lancaster County, which sees more than 150,000 visitors each year at its recreation of a 16th-century English village, as well as newer community events like the Queensland Faire in Bedford County, which is holding its inaugural festival in June. Huzzah!

1. Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire – Manheim 

Dates: Weekends Aug. 16 to Oct. 26, 2025

Cost: Between $34 and $38 for adult admission, depending on the date; discounts available for children

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is the largest and oldest Renaissance fair in the state. The festival attracts more than 150,000 people each year to its grounds at Mount Hope Estate and Winery in Manheim, just north of Lancaster in Lancaster County. Mount Hope began running the state’s first ren faire in 1980, and the fair has since expanded to 13 weekends—each with a different theme! The ren faire is at its heart a recreation of a 16th-century English village, the backdrop to themed weekends, like a fantasy weekend, a pirate weekend, and a weekend dedicated to Oktoberfest.

2. Philadelphia Renaissance Faire – Philadelphia 

Dates: May 24-26, 2025

Cost: $20 for adult admission; discounts available for children and other groups

The Philadelphia Renaissance Faire—affectionately known as Philly Faire—is Philadelphia’s own ren faire, which takes place at the National Historic Landmark of Fort Mifflin. At Philly Faire, you’ll get to experience all the traditional trappings of a ren faire, like vibrant musical performances, period-appropriate games like axe throwing, and unique food and craft vendors, right within the city limits.

3. Bucks County Renaissance Faire – Doylestown 

Dates: Sept. 6-8, 2025

Cost: $20 for adult admission; discounts available for children and other groups

Doylestown’s Bucks County Renaissance Faire takes place each year over Labor Day Weekend at Tileworks, the area’s historic tile factory. Four stages showcase musicians, comedians, artists, and more, all with a distinctly Renaissance flair. You can try your hand at dagger throwing or even go one-on-one with a knight. The festival also hosts a faire-wide RPG-style adventure you can take part in—sort of like Dungeons & Dragons in real life!

4. Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival – West Newton

Dates: Weekends Aug. 23 to Sept. 28, 2025, plus Labor Day (Sept. 8, 2025)

Cost: $25 for adult admission; discounts available for children

The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is one of the legacy Renaissance fairs in the kingdom we call Pennsylvania. For more than three decades, the ren faire—not far from Westmoreland County—has recreated a 16th-century English village known as Morelandshire. Festival organizers describe it as a “medieval amusement park,” like many Renaissance fairs focusing more on fun and entertainment for families than authenticity for history buffs. You can watch exciting jousting matches and a medieval rock and roll show, munch on scotch eggs and drink your favorite mead, and bring your kids to the children’s zone for story time or face painting.

5. Gem City Renaissance Festival – Erie 

Dates: TBA, likely August 2025

Cost: TBA

The inaugural Gem City Renaissance Festival took place in Erie in 2024, and organizers expect the fantasy-themed Renaissance fair to return for its second iteration in 2025. Last year, the new festival was one day only in Erie’s Frontier Park. It hosted performers, musicians, sword fighting, arts and crafts vendors, food, and even a “quest” attendees could join! Watch the festival’s Facebook page for updates on the 2025 festival.

6. Reading RenFaire – Wernersville 

Dates: June 8, 2025

Cost: $20 for adults; discounts available for children and other groups

After a successful first appearance in 2024, the Reading RenFaire is returning in 2025 for another day of Renaissance music, entertainment, and family fun at St. John’s (Hain’s) Grove. As it is hosted by Opus One: Berk Chamber Choir, the ren faire certainly provides music authentic to the era with madrigal singers and period instruments. But you’ll also get to see performers like a master falconer who works with hawks, falcons, and other birds of prey, as well as an entertainer specializing in juggling and sword swallowing. Festival food and arts and crafts vendors will also be on-site at the picnic grove.

7. Queensland Faire – Osterburg 

Dates: June 14-15, 2025

Cost: TBA

Taking place Father’s Day weekend, the Queensland Faire in Osterburg is Bedford County’s first Renaissance fair—and 2025 is its inaugural year! The ren faire will be set amid the woods at Ravenwood Fantasy Estates. While the festival is still in the planning stages, we know that organizers are putting together an event filled with interactive ren faire activities, vendors selling handcrafted goods, and elaborate Renaissance-style set pieces. They are also signing on musicians and performers with talent fit for an audience with a king. Be sure to check the venue’s Facebook page for updates on plans for the ren faire.