The Scarborough Renaissance Festival guide, and a place to stay

Planning a trip to Scarborough Renaissance Festival? Whether you're driving in from Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, or anywhere else in Texas, this guide covers what to know before you go: the 2027 schedule, tickets, parking, food, kids, costumes, and a few tips we'd give a friend.

We host a tiny home just outside Waxahachie, about 15 minutes from the festival gates. It sleeps six to seven, so your whole group can split one place and come home to a quiet porch after a long day at the faire.

What is Scarborough Renaissance Festival?

Scarborough Renaissance Festival is a re-created 16th-century English village that comes to life on spring weekends in Waxahachie, Texas. It has been a North Texas tradition since 1981, and 2026 was its 45th season. Plenty of people still call it by its other name, Scarborough Faire.

Never heard of it? If you searched for knights, jousting, a medieval festival in Waxahachie, or a renaissance fair near Dallas, this is the one. Technically it's set in the Renaissance, not the Middle Ages, but you'll still find knights in armor, royalty, pirates, fairies, and a village full of people in costume.

By the festival's own count, there are:

• 20+ stages of shows and street entertainment
• About 200 village shops selling handmade crafts, with artisans demonstrating their work
• A 100+ member performing company, from royalty to street characters who'll talk to you in character
• Full-combat armored jousting and birds of prey exhibitions
• Five food kitchens and 17 pubs and taverns
• Themed weekends all season long

Scarborough Renaissance Festival 2027 schedule and hours

The 2027 season runs April 10 to May 31, 2027, on Saturdays and Sundays, and wraps up on Memorial Day Monday. Gates open at 10 a.m., and the pre-opening show at the village gates starts at 9:45. In 2026, the festival closed at 7 p.m.

Themed weekends

Every weekend has a theme. The 2027 lineup wasn't posted when we checked, but here's what the 2026 season looked like, so you know what to expect:

Scarborough Renaissance Festival tickets

You can buy tickets at the gate or ahead of time. Here's how it worked in 2026, from the festival's FAQ:

• Kids 4 and under get in free, no ticket needed.
• Buying ahead saves money. Pre-purchased tickets at Tom Thumb and Albertsons were $3 off the adult gate price and $1 off for kids.
• Kids free days. Children 12 and under got in free on Opening Weekend and Mother's Day.
• Gate discounts. College students, military, community heroes, and seniors 65+ got $3 off an adult single-day ticket at the gate. Waxahachie residents got $3 off with ID on Waxahachie Resident Day.
• Group tickets are sold online only.
• Plans change? Tickets could be rescheduled any time before your date, or up to 7 days after.

For current prices and 2027 deals, check srfestival.com.

Scarborough Renaissance Festival parking, directions, and map

Parking is included with adult tickets. The lots fill from the gates outward, so the earlier you arrive, the shorter your walk. The festival is at 2511 FM 66 on the southwest side of Waxahachie, near I-35E.

Open the festival location in Google Maps. For the village layout, with stages, kitchens, and restrooms (the festival calls them privies), check the festival's official site before you go.

What to expect: knights, jousting, and 20+ stages

• Jousting. Full-combat armored jousts are the headliner. In 2026 the festival added a royal dais that seats close to 2,000 people.
• Birds of prey. Falconry exhibitions with the birds up close.
• Music, comedy, and stage shows. More than 20 stages and lanes, from Celtic music to comedy acts.
• Characters in character. Royalty, peasants, pirates, and street performers who'll stop and talk to you like it's 1500-something.
• Shopping. About 200 shops with handmade crafts, clothing, and more, many with artisans demonstrating their work.
• Rides and games. Rides and games of skill. Some take cash only.
• Pubs and taverns. Seventeen of them, with beer and wine for the grown-ups.

Scarborough Renaissance Festival food: what to eat

The turkey leg is the classic, but the menu goes a lot deeper. A few things from the festival's official food list:

Heads up: no outside food or drink is allowed, except food for infants and one factory-sealed water bottle per person. Eat a real breakfast before you go.

Where to eat before and after the festival

The festival closes in the early evening, which leaves plenty of time for dinner in town. Places marked Family pick are our own go-tos.

Before the gates open

Lunch downtown (not on festival day)

After the festival

Details checked September 2026. Hours change, so call ahead. More ideas in our 48 hours in Waxahachie guide.

Scarborough Renaissance Festival with kids

Yes, it's a great family day. Here's why it works with kids:

• Little ones get in free. Kids 4 and under are always free, and the 2026 season had kids-free days for 12 and under.
• Knights and birds. Jousting and birds of prey hold a kid's attention better than most things.
• Rides and games are built for them. Bring some cash.
• Costumes are part of the fun. Fairy wings, a knight's tunic, or a pirate hat all fit right in.
• Tired legs? Covered wagons are available for walk-up rental from Dragon Wagons.
• First aid. The grounds have an air-conditioned first aid center.

With a family, the tiny home sleeps six to seven, with a full kitchen for breakfast before the gates open and a washer and dryer for costumes after. If you're making a longer weekend of it, our weekend getaway guide has more to do in town.

Scarborough Renaissance Festival costume ideas

Costumes are optional, but half the fun. Match the themed weekend if you want to go all in:

• Villager or peasant: a loose linen shirt, a vest or bodice, and a long skirt or trousers. Easy, cheap, and comfortable all day.
• Pirate: perfect for Legends of the Seas weekend.
• Fairy or fantasy: wings and flower crowns for Flights of Fantasy.
• Barbarian: faux fur and leather for Barbarian Weekend.
• Celtic: a kilt or tartan for Celtic Weekend.
• Knight, squire, or royalty: a tunic, a cape, or a crown. Kids love this one.
• Flower crown and a big hat: made for Spring Celebration weekend.

The rules: keep it family friendly. The festival discourages gory or frightening costumes and can turn away outfits that are too revealing. Prop weapons must be peace-tied with sharp edges covered. No costume at home? Clothiers at the festival sell Renaissance, period, and fantasy clothing.

What to bring to Scarborough Renaissance Festival

Pack light. You'll carry it all day.

• Comfortable, broken-in shoes. The most important thing on this list.
• Sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Much of the day is outdoors under the Texas sun.
• One factory-sealed water bottle per person, plus an empty refillable bottle for the fountains.
• A card and some cash. Some vendors, games, and rides are cash only.
• Your phone and a portable charger. Tickets, photos, and finding your group.
• A light layer. April mornings can be cool.
• A small fan. Late May afternoons get hot.
• Bug spray if you're staying into the evening.
• A poncho if rain is in the forecast, or buy one at the souvenir shops.
• A costume, if you're playing along. Bring a zip tie or cord to peace-tie any prop weapon.

Leave at home: outside food and drinks, pets, drones, musical instruments, and firearms. The festival doesn't allow them.

10 Scarborough Renaissance Festival tips

1. Arrive before 10. The pre-opening show starts at 9:45, and early arrivals park closer to the gates.
2. Wear comfortable shoes. You'll be on your feet and walking all day.
3. Bring sunscreen and a hat. It's Texas in the spring, and a lot of the day is spent outdoors.
4. Handle water the right way. One factory-sealed bottle per person, plus empty refillables you can fill at the fountains by the flush restrooms.
5. Dress in layers. Spring mornings can start cool and turn warm by afternoon.
6. Plan your shows. With 20+ stages, pick the jousting times and a couple of must-sees first.
7. Bring a card and some cash. Many spots are card-only, but some vendors, games, and rides take cash only. There are ATMs on site.
8. Charge your phone. Photos, tickets, and finding your group all run on it.
9. Don't cancel for rain. The festival is open rain or shine, and ponchos are sold at the souvenir shops.
10. Stay nearby. Skip the late drive home and do two days if you want.

Common Scarborough mistakes to avoid

• Showing up at noon. Parking fills from the gates outward, and you miss the 9:45 pre-opening show.
• Wearing new boots. A full day on your feet is no time to break them in.
• Skipping sunscreen. Even on a cloudy spring day.
• Bringing only a card. You'll hit a cash-only game or ride eventually.
• Packing a cooler. Outside food and drink aren't allowed, except food for infants and one sealed water bottle each.
• Bringing the dog. Pets aren't allowed, except service animals. If your dog is traveling with you, see our pet-friendly guide.
• Missing the joust. Check the show times as soon as you arrive and plan around them.
• Ignoring the themed weekend. Pirates, barbarians, and fairies are more fun when you know it's coming.
• Paying full price at the gate. Buying ahead has saved money in past seasons.
• An un-tied prop sword. Weapons must be peace-tied, and gate staff make the final call.
• Driving home exhausted. After a full day at the faire, a bed 15 minutes away beats a long drive home.

Where to stay near Scarborough Renaissance Festival

Wondering where to stay for Scarborough Renaissance Festival? The festival doesn't offer on-site camping. Its website points to hotels in Waxahachie, bed and breakfasts, and RV parks. If you're weighing a hotel near the festival against an Airbnb or other vacation rental, here's how our tiny home stacks up for a group.

We're on VRBO and Airbnb.

Who it works for

• Families. Split one home instead of paying for two hotel rooms. Make breakfast before the gates open, and run the costumes through the washer before day two.
• Groups of friends. A queen bed downstairs, two queen air mattresses in the loft, and a sofa that sleeps one. Everyone under one roof, splitting one bill.
• Couples. The queen bedroom and full bath are on the main floor, and the loft can stay empty. Our romantic getaway guide has date-night ideas.
• Dog owners. Pets are welcome with approval. The festival itself doesn't allow them, so plan their day. See our pet-friendly guide.

What you won't get at a hotel

• Privacy. The whole tiny home is yours, with a private entrance and self check-in. No shared walls, hallways, or elevators.
• A porch. Rocking chairs, morning coffee, and sunsets over open farmland.
• Quiet. No ice machine down the hall. Just crickets and a freight train on the far line now and then.
• Parking at the door. Free, and right outside.

How far is everything from the tiny home?

Estimated drive times without traffic, September 2026. Rush hour adds more, and your map app will have the live time.

A Scarborough weekend itinerary, Friday to Sunday

Flying in? DFW Airport is about an hour away and Dallas Love Field about 45 minutes. Here's how we'd plan a festival weekend trip:

Make it a longer trip

• Historic downtown Waxahachie: the Gingerbread City's courthouse square, boutiques, antiques, and places to eat.
• Lake Bardwell: a Corps of Engineers lake southeast of town with swim beaches and good white bass fishing.
• Texas Motorplex in Ennis for NHRA drag racing.
• Tulipalooza: Waxahachie's spring tulip festival.
• Date night: see our romantic getaway guide for dinner, wine, and a show downtown.

Scarborough's Hollow in the fall

The same grounds host Scarborough's Hollow, a fall fantasy festival with live entertainment, a pumpkin patch, artisan shops, a petting zoo, a fun house, and two haunted attractions. The festival site lists it from September 26 to November 1, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Check which days it's open before you plan around it.

Is Scarborough Renaissance Festival worth it?

If you've never been, yes. It started in 1981 as an open field with tents. Today it's a full village with sit-down restaurants, modern restrooms, an air-conditioned first aid center, a performing company of more than 100 people, and enough going on that most people don't see it all in one day. The jousting alone is worth the ticket for a lot of families.

It's best if you go in ready to play along. Wear a costume or don't, but talk to the characters, catch a couple of shows, eat something on a stick, and stay until the late-afternoon light hits the village. Then skip the drive home, and come back to the porch.

Questions we get