What You’ll Miss If You Don’t Make Your Way to the Sterling Renaissance Festival

One of the coolest events of the year, the Sterling Renaissance Festival is only open for the next few weekends. If you don't make your way out there, you'll be missing a lot of fun and interesting attractions and activities like these...

1 - Fantastic Costumes

It's not every day you get to see looks like this:

2 - Live Music

Not just musicians walking around playing music throughout the fairgrounds, but there are actual shows as well, dedicated to some not-so-modern sounds.

3 - Heckling From the Entertainers

They promise there's delicious ale in their mugs, but be careful they like to pull tricks. And that's just one area you may get heckled. Many jokesters are running around.

4 - "Tomato Justice"

Throwing tomatoes at a "criminal?" Count us in. And just like everything else in the Sterling Renaissance Festival, these entertainers are completely in character. Just listen to the way they talk:

5 - Activities for the Kids

Slides and mazes are available for the younger ones. They can also hear fantastic children's stories or watch family-friendly performers (make sure you check the festival's schedule ahead of time).

6 - Delicious Treats

There's the go-to, traditional turkey leg, but they also have a variety of treats, snacks, and beverages.

7 - Meade

Speaking of delicious beverages, you have to have a glass of Meade at the Sterling Renaissance Festival. This adult beverage is made from fermenting honey in water, and it is definitely something you've got to try.

8 - Side Attractions

As you're walking through the festival you'll come across some very unique side attractions, like these birds perched on posts... just sitting there... And watching. And that's just one thing we passed.

9 - Comedy

Whether you're looking for some entertainment for the whole family, or you want a little more "adult-humor," there are plenty of shows to choose from. Like this guy, Churchyard O'Shay. This was definitely adult comedy though - Don't bring the little ones to see him.

10 - Poetry

See description for "Comedy" above. It's the same case.

11 - Artwork and Sculptures

We came across these dragon sculptures and fountains, and spent a good 15 - 20 minutes just walking around them and noticing all the details. There were also metal flowers and other figurines.

12 - Getting a Renaissance-Inspired Hairstyle

If you're going to head to the Sterling Renaissance Festival, you might as well look the part. And if you don't know how to do it yourself, they'll help you out. We stopped by this booth and learned how to use "hairsticks."

13 - The Parade

At 2:15pm every day of the festival, a huge parade runs through the whole “village.” You’ll see the Queen and her court, plus entertainers from many of the shows going on during the weekend.

And we didn't even touch on all the unique vendors on-site, the jousting (how could we not mention that?!), the other variety of entertainers and shows... A lot more. Seriously, there is SO much to see and do at the Sterling Renaissance Festival. Your best bet is check it out for yourself. There are only two weekends left of the festival. It runs this Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 7pm both days. And the last weekend is Saturday, August 12th and Sunday August 13th. The festival is open 10am - 7pm both of those days as well.

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