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Step Back in Time with Jousts, Costumes, and Festive Fun at Revel Grove
If you’re planning to attend the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2025, you’re in for a unique blend of history, theater, food, and outdoor entertainment. This long-running event in Crownsville, Maryland, recreates a fictional 16th-century English village called Revel Grove, and it’s one of the most beloved Renaissance fairs in the United States. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a yearly attendee, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know for the 2025 season.
What Is the Maryland Renaissance Festival?
From late August to October, the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2025 unfolds as an annual, themed immersion into a vibrant past. It recreates a Tudor-era marketplace filled with costumed performers, stage shows, artisans, jousts, and traditional foods. Visitors are encouraged but not required to dress in costume. The festival is family-friendly but also has plenty to offer adults, including pubs, live music, and comedy shows.
Location and Dates for 2025
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Location: 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD (technically Crownsville)
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Expected Dates: Weekends from late August through mid-October 2025
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Hours: Generally 10:00 AM–7:00 PM, open rain or shine.
Official dates are usually released by spring, so check the festival’s website early in the year to confirm.
Theme Weekends
Each weekend has a specific theme, which keeps the experience fresh even if you go more than once. Common themes include:
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Opening Weekend
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Pirate Adventure Weekend
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Celtic Celebration
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Oktoberfest Weekend
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Shakespeare Weekend
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Renaissance Marketplace Closing
These themes often affect the entertainment schedule, so look out for special shows or costume contests based on the theme.
What to Expect
Entertainment:
There are more than 200 performances daily across multiple stages — from Shakespearean theater and comedy to live music, fire-eating acts, and falconry.
Jousting Tournament:
The joust is one of the main events, performed three times a day. It includes knights on horseback clashing with lances in front of cheering crowds.
Shopping:
More than 140 merchants sell handcrafted items such as leather goods, jewelry, swords, pottery, and traditional clothing. Many artisans work on-site, demonstrating their crafts.
Food and Drink:
The festival has plenty of traditional fare like turkey legs, steak on a stake, and meat pies, along with modern options like vegetarian dishes, desserts, and craft beverages. Alcohol is served, including mead, cider, beer, and wine.
Tickets and Pricing
Ticket prices usually vary depending on the weekend. In 2024, adult tickets ranged from $24 to $30, and children’s tickets from $12 to $15. Prices for 2025 may increase slightly. Discounts and promotional days (like Seniors Day or Kids Free Weekend) are usually announced each season on the official site.
Purchasing tickets online in advance is strongly recommended. Popular themed weekends frequently sell out tickets to the festival.
Family Tips
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Kids under 7 are free on most days.
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There are dedicated children’s shows and rides.
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Costumes for kids are welcome and encouraged.
Costume Guidelines
You don’t have to dress up, but many attendees do. If you decide to wear a costume, make sure it is comfortable for a full day outdoors. Weapons must be peace-tied. There are also costume rental shops inside the fairgrounds if you want to try something for the day.
Parking
Parking is free, but it can be crowded. Arriving early helps you avoid long walks from overflow lots. There are shuttle services from some lots, especially on busy weekends.
Accessibility
The fairgrounds are mostly outdoors with dirt and gravel paths. Accessibility has improved over the years, but wheelchairs and strollers may struggle in muddy conditions after rain. The festival offers accessible parking and restrooms, and service animals are permitted.
Tips for First-Time Visitors
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Arrive early to get good parking and catch the opening gate show.
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Bring cash for smaller vendors, although most now accept cards.
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Wear comfortable walking shoes.
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Check the schedule the morning of your visit to plan out shows and events.
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Prepare for any weather – hats, sunscreen, rain ponchos, layered clothing.
Why It’s Worth Visiting in 2025
The Maryland Renaissance Festival 2025 is more than just a fair — it’s a temporary world where you can step away from your routine. The combination of live entertainment, craftsmanship, history, and community makes it one of the most immersive Renaissance experiences in the country. With new performers and rotating theme weekends, each year brings something new, and 2025 will be no exception.
FAQs about Maryland Renaissance Festival 2025
1. On what date will 2025 tickets become available?
Tickets usually go on sale mid-summer. Keep an eye on the official website in June or July.
2. Can I bring my own food and drinks?
Outside food and drinks are generally not allowed, except for medical needs or infant food.
3. Are pets allowed?
No, pets are not permitted unless they are service animals.
4. Is there a dress code?
There is no strict dress code, but modern obscene or offensive clothing is not allowed. Renaissance or fantasy costumes are welcomed and encouraged.
5. Are there activities for children?
Yes. There are puppet shows, storytelling, games, rides, and kid-friendly performers.
Final Thoughts
If you’re planning fall activities in 2025, the Maryland Renaissance Festival 2025 deserves a top spot. It combines entertainment, history, and outdoor adventure in a way few events can. Whether you’re visiting for the food, the shopping, or the live action joust, it’s an event you’ll want to return to year after year.