Bristol Renaissance Faire: Where You Can Leave 2026 Behind and Become a Knight, Pirate—or Alien!

Reviewed by: Jamail

Want to escape Chicago for a day without getting on an airplane? Want to travel back in time without needing a time machine? And, more importantly, do you want to see grown adults walking around dressed as kings, queens, pirates, fairies, wizards and—yes, I actually saw one—a medieval alien from outer space?

Then I have the place for you.

The Bristol Renaissance Faire!

And I’m not just saying that because it is one of the best Renaissance faires in the country. I have history with this place. I first went back in the 1980s when it was known as the King Richard Faire.

Back then, things were a little different. Think tents, small buildings, a handful of food choices, lots of people in medieval clothing and plenty of sword fighting. It was fun, but let’s just say you weren’t going to get lost trying to find your way around.

Fast-forward to today and—WOW!

The Faire has grown into a 30-acre wooded medieval village, and walking through the entrance really does feel like you’ve stepped into another century. One minute you’re driving down I-94 in Wisconsin, worrying about traffic, gas prices and what you’re having for dinner. The next minute you’re surrounded by knights, peasants, royalty, pirates and people who apparently decided that ordinary clothing was simply not going to cut it today.

And somehow, it works.

YOU ARE NEVER QUITE SURE WHO WORKS THERE

One of the funniest things about Bristol is trying to figure out who is actually an employee and who is just a visitor who REALLY got into the spirit of things.

You might walk past someone dressed as a nobleman and think, “That’s a great costume.”

Then he starts talking to you in character.

Then you realize—he works here!

And then five minutes later you see someone else wearing an even more elaborate costume and discover they’re a ticket holder just like you.

A large percentage of visitors come dressed up, and some costumes are absolutely spectacular. Knights, queens, pirates, fairies, warriors, wizards—you name it.

And then there was the medieval alien.

I’m still trying to figure that one out.

But honestly, that’s Bristol. Nobody is judging you for being too imaginative. If you want to dress like a king, go ahead. A pirate? Absolutely. A wizard? Of course. A medieval alien from another planet? Apparently, that’s perfectly acceptable too!

THERE’S SOMETHING AROUND EVERY CORNER

Bristol isn’t just people walking around in costumes.

There are 16 stages throughout the Faire, with entertainment going on all day. There are musicians, comedians, performers, sword fighters, characters roaming the streets and the famous armored joust.

You can watch a show, walk a few feet and suddenly discover another performance beginning.

And just when you think you’ve seen everything, you turn a corner and find something else.

That’s what makes Bristol different from simply attending a show. The entire village is the show.

BRING YOUR WALLET—AND MAYBE A SECOND ONE!

Then there are the shops.

Oh, the shops.

If you like medieval merchandise, fantasy items or things you absolutely didn’t know you needed until you saw them, you’re going to have a problem.

Swords.

Wands.

Capes.

Leather goods.

Jewelry.

2Clothing.

Artwork.

Handcrafted items.

And enough unusual merchandise to make you wonder how you’re going to explain some of your purchases when you get home.

The Faire features nearly 200 artisans, so there is plenty to look at.

I can practically hear the conversation now:

“Honey, why did you buy a sword?”

“Because it was on sale.”

Case closed.

COME HUNGRY!

Of course, you can’t spend the day in a medieval village without eating like you’re preparing for battle.

There are plenty of food stands, pubs and places to grab a drink. And yes, you can get that Renaissance

Faire favorite—the giant turkey leg.

There is something wonderfully ridiculous about walking through a wooded medieval village while carrying

a turkey leg that looks like it came from a dinosaur.

And somehow, it tastes even better that way.

THE KIDS WILL LOVE IT

This isn’t just an adult playground.

Bring the family.

There are activities for children, games, entertainment and special areas where youngsters can get into the Renaissance spirit. There are even Pixie Stations, where little ones can have their faces painted and receive a set of pixie wings to wear.

You may arrive with a child.

You may leave with a pixie.

That’s Bristol.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE MEMORIES

For me, the best part of this visit was probably the most unexpected.

The memories came rushing back.

I hadn’t been here for several years, and before that, my first visit was way back in the 1980s. Walking

through the Faire again reminded me just how much fun I had all those years ago.

Yes, Bristol has grown tremendously.

Yes, there is much more to see and do.

But the spirit of the place hasn’t disappeared.

That’s important.

Sometimes attractions get bigger and better and, in the process, lose what made them special in the first place.

Bristol hasn’t.

It still has that same sense of stepping into another world.

MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT

If you’re coming from Chicago, this is an easy getaway. The Faire is located at 12550 120th Ave. in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and my drive from Chicago took about 40 minutes.

Why not make a weekend out of it?

There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and other attractions in the area. On my trip, I stopped at Texas Roadhouse for a great prime rib dinner, and I even managed to find gas for about $3.50 a gallon at BP.

You could spend Saturday or Sunday at Bristol and make the next day a trip to Six Flags Great America.

Two days.

Two completely different experiences.

And you don’t have to spend half your weekend sitting in an airport.

One note for anyone thinking about bringing the family pet: check the Faire’s current animal policy before you go. The current policy does not allow ordinary pets; qualifying service animals are permitted.

MY VERDICT

I’ve been coming to the Bristol Renaissance Faire since it was the King Richard Faire in the 1980s. I’ve watched it grow from tents and small buildings into a 30-acre medieval village filled with stages, performers, shops, pubs, food and thousands of people who apparently decided that normal clothes were overrated.

And you know what?

I’m glad it grew.

Because Bristol has managed to do something that isn’t easy: it got bigger without losing its personality.

Whether you’re eight or eighty, there is something here for you.

Come as a knight.

Come as a queen.

Come as a pirate.

Come as a wizard.

Come as a pixie.

Come as an alien.

Or, if you’re feeling particularly boring, come as yourself.

Just come.

The 2026 Bristol Renaissance Faire runs weekends and Labor Day through September 7, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s about a 40-minute drive from Chicago, and believe me, it’s worth the trip.

For tickets, schedules and more information, visit www.Renfair.com.

Bristol Renaissance Faire: You don’t just visit it—you become part of it.

And after all these years, I’m already looking forward to going back.

Next to Normal

This is a somewhat unusual review. Normally, reviewers are invited to a show to write a review, but this show I attended all on my own with a ticket I purchased. And instead of seeing the main cast, last Sunday, I attended the understudy performance of Next to Normal at the Bramble Arts Loft. A close friend was the assistant director of this production and his work focused on the understudy cast, so I attended that show to show support. Despite not intending to attend the show as a reviewer and seeing the understudy and not the main cast, I still wanted to share my thoughts on the performance because it was incredible. Next to Normal is a beautiful show and it is both musically and emotionally complex. It’s also in my all time top five, so the cast had a high bar to clear for me to love a production of it. Fortunately, this production knocks it out of the park.