Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

Arizona Renaissance Festival begins at 10 a.m. every Saturday, Sunday, and on Presidents’ Day Monday, from February 11 through April 2. This Festival transports visitors to an European style fair filled with an agreeable rabble of knights, rogues, royalty and craftsmen, all roaming throughout a 30-acre village filled with delectable sights and sounds tantalizing the senses. Explore 200 charming craft shops, 13 stages of non-stop entertainment, an arena for full-contact armored jousting, a living fountain, kitchens, pubs, and people powered games and rides. All the Festival is a stage with a cast featuring more than 2,000 brightly costumed actors, dancers, mermaids, acrobats and musicians. These are the amazing people who populate this bustling event to ensure a good time for the 270,000 visitors who mingle into the endlessly wacky and unpredictable merriment and mayhem. The Renaissance Festival experience is meeting and interacting with a variety of colorful characters, shopping for unique arts and crafts, and taking in a selection of over 150 shows every event day. There is a great variety of food for feasting, and a bevy of beverages including Medieval Margaritas, Da Vinci Coladas, Dukes of Daiquiri, wine, honey mead, beers and ales, along with soft drinks and lemonade. A popular attraction at the Festival are the live jousting tournaments held three times daily in the 5,000 seat arena, complete with knights on charging horses, clanging weapons and a great deal of braggadocio. The 16th century Festival is home to many popular traditions including chomping down on a giant roasted turkey leg, adding to your collection of drinking vessels or hair adornments as well as battling wits with the village idiot. The Faire features demonstrations of time honored crafts such as weaving, jewelry making, glass blowing, blacksmithing and pottery throwing. Shopping is fun and if you are looking for a unique gift; you shall surely find it at this bustling marketplace. A most special event within this giant event is The Pleasure Feast. This is a one and a half hour, five course medieval feast with live music and comedy entertainment, all you can eat and drink, plus festival souvenir. With limited seating twice daily, advance feast reservations are recommended. Don’t miss this time travel experience—see thee at the Faire.

WHEN YOU GO: What: The 29th Annual Arizona Renaissance Festival

Where: East of Apache Junction on US Highway 60, near the Superstition Mountains.

When: Eight consecutive weekends (Saturdays, Sundays, and Presidents’ Day Monday) from February 11 through April 2. The Festival runs from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., rain or shine.

Tickets: Advanced discount tickets available for purchase and print at home on-line www.RenFestInfo.com or at Fry’s are $22 for adults and $12 for kids ages 5 – 12, children under 5 are always free. Tickets purchased at the Festival Box Office are $2 more. Discounts tickets for seniors (60 and older) are $21, only available at the Festival Box Office.

Parking is free courtesy of Fry’s. Information: www.RenFestInfo.com 520.463.2700 *Remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring your sunscreen