The Bay Area Renaissance Festival returns for its 44th season from Saturday, February 19 to Sunday, April 3. The festival is open on weekends from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., rain or shine, and is located at Withlacoochee River Park in Dade City.
“Join King Henry the 8th and the Villagers of Fittleworth as they invite one and all to the magical 16th-century European village featuring 15 stages of exciting entertainment, including musicians, magicians, jugglers and more,” said the festival’s corporate compliance and communications director, Stephanie Whipps. “More than 100 artisans will fill the festival marketplace to display and sell their handcrafted goods for a truly fabulous and endless shopping experience. Our guests will interact with memorable characters and enjoy full-contact, live, armored jousting, seven theme weekends and fabulous food fit for a king or queen.”
The first weekend of the 2022 Bay Area Renaissance Festival kicked off on February 19 and will run for seven weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) through April 3.
“A festival tradition for 44 years, the Bay Area Renaissance Festival brings some of the most unique entertainment, shopping and educational opportunities,” Whipps said. “Each weekend features a different theme with specialized entertainers, vendors and artisans who help bring the theme to life. This year’s theme weekends are Wine, Romance & Song, Highland Fling, Pirates & Pups, Barbarian Brew Fest, Shamrocks & Shenanigans, High Seas Adventure and Wonders of the World.”
Jousting is the one of the festival’s most popular attractions, and it happens three times a day during the festival. The first match is at 1 p.m. and then the second is at 3 p.m. The final match of the day is at 5 p.m. The jousting matches are free to attend with your purchased festival ticket.
Adult tickets are $22.95, seniors are $18.95, children ages 5-12 are $14.95 and children ages 4 and under are free. Visit the festival’s website at www.bayarearenfest.com or call 1-800-601-4848 for more information. Withlacoochee River Park is located at 12838 Auton Rd. in Dade City.
