Rennaisance Fairs have been held around the US for the past fifty years, starting in New York City in 1957 with “A Christmas Masque of Traditional Revels”. This was later broadcast on TV as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame, and in 1971 was established permanently as Christmas Revels in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Then in 1963 a class in Los Angelos held a small Renaissance fair in the teacher’s backyard. This turned into the Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS), now a local tradition, and the idea took wings and spread across the US.
This type of seasonal fair, combining historical elements with the feel of an amusement park, is uniquely American, although similar style festivals have sprung up in Canada and Germany. The idea has also spread into festivals of Pirates, Fairies, Vikings and even some Dickensian Fairs scheduled around Christmas.
The following is a list of festivals held in the Northeast, including the Mid-Atlantic states.
Table of Contents
New York Faires & Festivals
Long Island Pirate Festival – June – Sayville , NY – The Long Island Maritime Museum, 88 West Ave, West Sayville, NY (200 miles from Albany)
New York Fairy Festival – June – Ouaquaga NY – 2195 State Route 79, Harpursville NY (120 miles from Albany)
Ithaca Scottish Games & Celtic Festival – June – Ithaca, NY – Stewart Park on Cayuga Lake, Gardner Parkway, Ithaca, NY (165 miles from Albany)
Hawk Creek’s Wild Renn Fest – July – East Aurora, NY – Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, Grover Road, East Aurora, NY (300 miles from Albany)
Sterling Renaissance Festival – July-August – Sterling, NY – 15385 Farden Rd, Sterling, NY (175 miles from Albany)
Bill Johnston Pirate Days – August – Alexandria Bay, NY – 7 Market Street, Alexandria Bay, NY (205 miles from Albany)
Central New York Scottish Games & Celtic Festival – August – Liverpool, NY – Long Branch Park, Liverpool, NY (150 miles from Albany)
New York Renaissance Faire – August-September – Tuxedo Park, NY 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo Park, NY (120 miles from Albany)
Capital District Scottish Games – September – Altamont, NY 129 Grand Street, Altamount, NY (20 miles from Albany)
Adirondack Renaissance Fantasy Festival – September – Boonville NY – Erwin Park, Boonville, NY (120 miles from Albany
The Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park – September – New York, NY – Fort Tryon Park, Margaret Corbin Drive, New York, NY (145 miles from Albany.) Read about it in: A Renaissance Fair In New York City.
Connecticut Faires & Festivals
Connecticut Renaissance Faire “Robin Hood’s Springtime Festival” – May-June – Guilford CT – Guilford Fairgrounds, 1 Lovers Lane, Guilford CT (150 miles from Albany)
Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire – June-July – Ansonia, CT – Warsaw Park, 119 Pulaski Highway, Ansonia, CT (125 miles from Albany)
Connecticut Renaissance Faire “King Arthur’s Fall Harvest Fair” – September- October – Hebron, CT – Lions Fairgrounds, 347 Gilead Street, Hebron CT. (130 miles from Albany)
Maine Faires & Festivals
Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous – June – Damariscotta, ME
Eastport Pirate Festival – September – Eastport ME
Maryland Faires & Festivals
Maryland Faerie Festival – May – Darlington, MD Camp Ramblewood, 2564 Silver Rd, Darlington, MD
Maryland Renaissance Festival August- October – Annapolis MD – 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland
Massachusetts Faires & Festivals
Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival – June – Charlton, MA Ye Olde Commons, 120 Northside Rd., Charlton, MA
Mutton and Mead Medieval Festival – June – Turners Falls, MA 210 Turners Falls Rd, Turners Falls, MA
Abbadia Mare Renaissance Festival – July – Gloucester, MA – Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Ave, Gloucester, MA
King Richard’s Faire – September- October – Carver, MA 235 Main St., Carver, MA Read about it in: A Day Back in Time at King Richard’s Faire.
New Hampshire Faires & Festivals
The New Hampshire Renaissance Faire – May – Kingston, NH
9 Thorne Road, Kingston, NH
Waterville Valley Renaissance Faire – August – Waterville Valley, NH
1 Ski Area Road, Waterville Valley, NH
The New Hampshire Highland Games – September – Lincoln, NH
Loon Mountain Ski Resort, Lincoln, NH Boonville, NY
New Jersey Faires & Festivals
New Jersey Renaissance Faire Bordentown NJ, June – Liberty Lake, 1195 Florence Columbus Rd, Bordentown, NJ
Wheaton ArtsMedieval and Renaissance Fantasy Faire – June – Millville, NJ – 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville, NJ
New Jersey Renaissance Kingdom – June-July – Clinton, NJ Washington Park, in Dunellen, NJ
4-H Renaissance Faire – September – Harmony, NJ – Warren County Fairgrounds, Harmony, NJ
Toms River Pirate Festival – October – Toms River, NJ – 415 Washington St., Toms River, NJ
Pennsylvania Faires & Festivals
New Hope Fantasy Renaissance Faire – April – New Hope, PA
Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm – May – Glen Rock, PA,
Wild Rose Renaissance Faire – June – Columbus, PA
Celtic Fling and Highland Games – June – Manheim, PA
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire – August-October – Manheim, PA
Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival – August-September – West Newton, PA
Fairy Festival – September – Mechanicsburg, PA
Village Renaissance Faire – September – Wrightstown, PA
Vermont Faires & Festivals
Medieval Country Fair – May – Jericho, VT
All fairs have been thoroughly researched. If you know of any fairs not on this list, please mention them in the comments and I can research and add them as well!