The Michigan Renaissance Festival is a medieval fantasy fair that takes place from August through September. The Feast of Fantasy takes place on weekends plus Labor Day Monday. The Michigan Renaissance Festival has been delighting crowds with a taste of the16th century for 30 years.
The renaissance festival is a great way to get outside and enjoy leisurely entertainment. Stroll the grounds and enjoy the immersion into the event that is part history and part fantasy.
Festival grounds are roamed by a cast of 200 professional actors, actresses and musicians in authentic costume. Queen Elizabeth I and Her Majesty’s Royal Court stroll the grounds and mingle with guests at this interactive event. Enthusiastic patrons get into the act and come dressed in period costumes. Mingle with royalty, knights, court jesters, peasants, bawdy wenches, faeries, belly dancers, wizards and fooles.
The Michigan Renaissance Festival features armored knights that clash as they race across Upson Downs Joust Field on horseback. Entertainment includes dancers, comedians, musicians, jugglers and more.
The festival is set on a 15 acre village. The market features 195 merchants selling authentic period merchandise, hand crafted jewelry and unique goods. Stroll the marketplace. Grab a bite of tasty fair food, have a thirst quenching drink and revel in abundant medieval entertainment.
The festival began operation in 1979 on grounds adjacent to the Colombiere Center in Clarkston, near the junction of I-75 and Dixie Highway. In 1985, organizers moved the festival to 100 acres (0.40 km2) of property between I-75 and Dixie Highway, one mile north of the Mount Holly Ski Resort. Roughly 30 acres have been developed so far for the actual festival site with 15 acres of that within the “village” walls and accessible to patrons. The property is accessible to patrons only from Dixie Highway, and includes two large parking areas, two lakes (Horton Lake and Walton Lake), and wetlands. The property is part in Holly Township, Michigan, part in Groveland Township, Michigan, and to honor this the fictional village’s name was changed to “Hollygrove”. Permanent structures and stages have been built over the years and the festival has grown steadily to a current annual attendance approaching 250,000 people.
The special feast features food fit for a Queen. the feast features a delightful menu with appetizer, salad, soup, sorbet and main course. The main course is Herb encrusted pork loin with side dishes. Chocolate raspberry lava rush is a luscious dessert.
Plainer festival fare includes hearty meat pies, sandwiches, turkey legs, baby back ribs, prime rib sandwich and many other tasty treats. Festival food can be found at booths and eaten while strolling the lanes.
