The Maryland Renaissance Festival, a tradition for the entire family, begins its 48th season on August 24th and runs Saturdays and Sundays and Labor Day Monday through October 20th for nine weekends of thrills, feasting, handmade crafts, entertainment, and merriment in Crownsville, near Annapolis, Maryland.
The 27-acre Village of Revel Grove comes to life each autumn with more than 200 professional performers on ten stages, a 3,000-seat arena with armored jousting on magnificent steeds, and streets filled with village characters. Join His Most Royal Highness King Henry VIII in the forests and glades with over 140 artisans exhibiting crafts in their own renaissance shops, five taverns featuring cool libations, 42 food and beverage emporiums providing a vast array of succulent and sweet treats to sate even the most hearty of appetites.
The almost continuous entertainment on all ten stages features many returning favorite performers: Shakespeare’s Skum with rollicking twenty-minute renditions of the Bard’s most popular plays; A Fool Named “O” and LaLa mime show; walk with nobility through the village with King Henry and his Royal Court. Minstrels, magicians, musicians, jugglers, daring feats of skill and artistry abound. Returning this season is the jousting troupe Debracey Productions with a field full of horses, men in armor, chariots, trick riding and thrills for all ages. Major additional acts include Topsy Turvy, Markita’s One Woman Stunt Show; Piper Jones; The Queen of Hoops, Paolo Garbanzo; Hilby, the Skinny German Juggle Boy amazes and confuses; the enormously popular Jacques Ze Whipper for six weekends, Vixens En Garde, and Barely Balanced acrobatic antics, and in the 51st year of their enormously popular comedy sword fighting and witty repartee Puke and Snot bedazzle with their fast-paced humor. Add in a village full of stilt walkers, beggars, hermits, wenches, pickpockets, rakes, and rogues for an entertainment experience not only to be seen but to be immersed amongst. Visit www.rennfest.com/ Entertainment for a full listing and their dates.
Unique among most festivals, including Renaissance festivals, the Maryland Renaissance Festival utilizes a storyline. It progresses each year forward in the timeline of Henry VIII through his reign and all six of his wives. This season, the year is 1537, and the royal story is played out in stage shows and improvisations throughout the festival grounds.
2024 Storyline
The king is married to his third wife, Jane Seymour. The royal couple and select courtiers are visiting Revel Grove to enjoy the Harvest Festival. In honor of the royal visit the Revel Grove Dance Company will perform a lively dance, the Tourdion. The name of the dance is taken from the French verb tordre, which means ‘to twist’. And it isn’t only the dancers who will be twisting! All in Court must bend and twist to stay in the King’s favor. Even his recent bride Jane. She makes a tactical error by pleading for mercy for the participants of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion. Henry coldly reminds her of the fate of her predecessor when she meddled in his affairs. Jane must quickly find a way to get back in the king’s good graces!
In the village, Sir Richard Mondes has been made Master of The Worshipful Company of Woolmen. This prestigious position means he must devote much of his time to business in London. When Mondes’ term of office expired, prosperous farmer and business man Matthew McGregor became mayor of Revel Grove. McGregor will do his duty, but actually had enjoyed being the one to shout AT the mayor at village meetings. Now he’s the one who gets all of the complaints! Fortunately he is ably assisted by his wife, Mayoress Beatrice Appleton McGregor, and not so ably but charmingly assisted by his sweet sister-in-law Millie.
Excitement abounds for the McGregor household as they host their first Harvest Festival and royal visit. One item they weren’t prepared for – the arrival of Baron Templeton of Tiddington and his entourage. Baron Templeton says he is a newly created Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, created by royal appointment in this time of unrest and rebellion. He is in charge of militia readiness. And also to collect the taxes for the King. Baron Templeton tells the Mayor he owes over 350 pounds to the coffer. If he doesn’t produce the money by end of day – he will be arrested and his goods confiscated. The Mayor is understandably alarmed! Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave is understandably suspicious of this Baron. Millie is just understandably confused. But all will be resolved by end of day.
The Maryland Renaissance Festival’s reputation for unique and predominantly handmade wares by the artists in its Renaissance shops is among the best in the realm of festivals. Metalwork, wood sculpture, jewelry, furniture, clothing, footwear, ceramics, stained glass, headwear, glassblowing, and many demonstrating craftsmen fill the shops and studios.
The King’s kitchens prepare a sumptuous feast of delicious and wondrous delights to satisfy almost any Lord or Lady. One-pound smoked turkey legs, steak on a stake, fresh crepes, stuffed chili peppers, gyros, succulent ribs, a fresh seafood raw bar, sweet concoctions, and tender sandwiches of chicken, fish, crab, beef, and pork with bountiful servings of all manner of sides are added to your table. Cool, mild drinks and an array of ales, ciders, and wines cleanse your pallet and refresh your constitution.
The first three weekends, from August 24th through September 8th, the Festival reduces pricing for all without coupons or special purchasing required to offer family-friendly entertainment pricing. Tickets beginning September 14th through October 20th are for peak season and still among the lowest of any Renaissance festival in the country. Prices, special event info, and full schedules are available at www.rennfest.com.
