Michigan Renaissance Festival | Throw back and 2020 Plans

Every year, we look forward to the Michigan Renaissance Festival and it’s probably our most favorite festival ever! The Michigan Renaissance Festival is an interactive outdoor fair that focuses on the recreation of the look and feel of a fictional English village called Hollygrove during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (long live the queen!). The Renaissance fair is set to take place in the late 16th century and the streets are usually filled with nobles, pirates, Vikings, wizards, rogues, wenches, and an assortment of fantasy characters. There are many nationally known Renaissance festival stage acts, juggling shows, sword fighting shows, a two-hour feast performed twice daily, three full contact joust shows, and activities and games for children of all ages. You can even get married at the fair!

But this year, like many other businesses, they had to make the tough decision to close their doors and reinvent the 2020 season. So this post is a tribute to our favorite festival and to help support our local artists. If it is possible, I will link my favorites so you can check them out and support too, such as this Facebook page, The Village Of Hollygrove, where all Ren Fest vendors have been encouraged to post their wares and whatnots!

I have so many fond memories from the Michigan Renaissance Festival growing up. And now that we have little Evelyn, I can’t wait to share all of my favorite memories with her: like the time I got a princess dress, riding in the pirate ships, and of course, my annual pickle from my favorite pickle guy.

2016

Charlie is introducing me to a turkey leg.

Yep, I take an annual selfie with my pickle. I’ve been doing it since I got my first phone with a camera!

This has got to be one of my favorite memories as an adult at Ren Fest. I’m an Irish dancer, and I decided to hop up on stage with Tartanic! Charlie knew I liked them so much, and I think he started to like their music too, that he went home and ordered a couple CDs. Well something happened and they never arrived, then he got a package in the mail one day. It was an envelope FULL of all their CDs and some other goodies! Needless to say, we jam to them quite frequently now.

2017

First year dressing up as a couple: Princess Bride

2018

We went as pirates this year because we didn’t have time to find/make a proper costume…

Also not pictures: My Irish Jig shoes because I didn’t have any other pirate shoes.

2019

First year as a family! And holy moly, Evelyn’s hair looks so red!

Our good friend, Adam, in some rad leather armor!

Although the 2020 season has been canceled, Michigan Renaissance is hosting a Festival on Parade. This event will be a parade of vehicles, following a one-way route through the fairgrounds. It will be full of entertainment, trivia contests, activities, and food, all from the comfort of your car. A limited number of tickets will be sold per day and must be purchased online. Each vehicle ticket is $20.

When: the weekends of September 12th and 13th & 19th and 20th, 2020

Note: Please remember to be courteous during this time. It is important for your health and the health of others that you wear a mask when placing orders and that you remain in your vehicle, unless to use the restroom. Please remember to bring a pen, your masks, hand sanitizer, and cash

Huzzah & Support local!