2026 Guide to The Kansas City Renaissance Festival

Huzzah! Fairies, Kings, Queens, & everything in between will be at one of our favorite Fall things to do -The Kansas City Renaissance Festival!

KC Ren Fest is a long-standing Fall tradition in KC, so be sure you don’t miss the live shows & tournaments, authentic rides, unique arts and crafts, and of course, amazing food and drinks!

…it is so magical.

And be sure to check out our Fall Festivals in KC Guide and  Best Family Friendly Breweries in KC. 

2026 Kansas City Renaissance Festival Guide

This is the largest Renaissance Festival in KC! Celebrating 50 years in 2026. Admission includes Free parking, all Stage Shows, including the Tournament Jousting, Contests, Themed Weekend Events, and entertainment around every bend in Canterbury.

The KC Ren Fest is open September 5th through October 18th, 2026, on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am – 7:00pm, plus Monday September 7th from 10:00am -7:00pm and October 12th from 10:00am – 5:00pm.

  

You can always find the latest and greatest details, hours, themes, events, & more information at the KC Ren Fest Website.

Enjoy street acts, stage acts, Daily Royal events, jousting, specialty groups, musical groups, a Royal court, and so much more.

There are GROUP DISCOUNTS, It is always a great bonus that there is free parking too. And they have STUDENT & TEACHER pricing and FREE Tix for Honor Students.

Pets are welcome, but there is a $10 charge per pet – cash only. The fee is only $5 on their “Dog Weekend” too.

They have some fabulous options for wedding receptions and vow renewals.

Kansas City Ren Fest Themes:

Each week, there is a new KC Ren Fest theme. Dress up in the theme, or come to enjoy the costumes of others!

Check out the details of each theme.

• Buccaneers & Ballgowns September 5th-7th

• Viking Invasion September 12th-13th

• Celtic Celebration with Highland Games September 19th-20th

• “World” Wind Celebration September 26th-27th

• Once Upon a Time October 3th-4th

• Barktoberfest October 10th-12th

• Haunted Huzzah October 17th-18th

Kansas City Renaissance Festival – Full of Fun Things to Do, Bookmark their entertainment tab for the full scoop HERE.

Most kids activities are free with fest admission, so you will not be paying a lot for additional things to do. However there are great daily Royal activities to participate in at an additional cost.

There are some things that have an additional fee, like the giant bungee bounce or swing, but I think it is totally worth it. You can find a guide to games & activities online.

Daily Royal Events & Themes

There are “Daily Royal events” you can add to ticket prices:

• Queen’s Tea

• Barrel & Leaf

• Pub Crawl

• Royal Romance Package

• Fairy Time Treats

• Royal Wine Tasting

• Chocolate Mead Tasting

You can learn more about Daily Royal Events online.

The KC Ren Fest also improved the Battle Axe Pub, Giant Puppet Troupe, Bow Blast, Bloody Mary Bar, new performers, more opportunities for photo ops.

There are also daily contests based on the theme weekends! So, get dressed up to enjoy the festival.

Top Five Reasons to Take Your Kids to the Renaissance Festival

If you’re looking for something like a fun autumn family activity, I highly recommend loading up the SUV and heading to the Renaissance Festival.  There are many reasons I love the festival, but here are my top five:

5. Get Some (relatively) Fresh Air.  

Too many of our children spend their free time glued to electronic devices. So, get out and explore the Renaissance Festival! 

The KC Ren Festival is completely outside, with the exception of a few of the shops. Plus, it’s a circle so you can walk around without having to go too far…

4. Stretch Your Legs

You’ll get plenty of exercise walking from booth to booth and between shows. There is also a free kids’ area where kids can run, jump, climb, and slide.

It’s a great way to burn calories, which you will need to do because of all the delicious food there. Plus, the kids will be ready for a nap when you get home!

3. The Food! 

…Need I say more?

My favorite Renaissance festival foods are the apple dumpling & turkey leg…weird combo?

Who doesn’t love a deep-fried apple, served with ice cream and caramel syrup?  If apple dumplings are not your thing, there are plenty of KC Ren Fest favorites.  You can get deep-fried everything, from cauliflower to cookies…but without a doubt, the KC Renaissance Festival’s most popular food item is the Giant Turkey Leg. 

2. The shows 

There are gymnastic feats and acrobatic arts, people hula-hooping with fire, and some of the funniest pub songs you will ever hear.

Take your kids to watch a jousting match and let them cheer for their favorite knight. The shows also serve as a great way to rest your well-exercised legs between stretches of walking. KC Ren Fest definitely has great quality shows for your family to enjoy!

1. Artisan Marketplace 

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival has always prided itself on providing a unique shopping experience. Each shop contains handmade wares such as jewelry, pottery, worked wood, leatherwork, paintings, hand-blown glass, and fine metal craftsmanship.

We hope your family enjoys the Kansas City Renaissance Festival this Fall! There are tons of fun things to do for the whole family. From giant turkey legs to shopping for ornate eggs, this is the best Renaissance Festival near us. We hope you get to explore it…

For more things to do in Kansas City with kids, sign-up for The Scoop to get it sent straight to you!

And be sure to check out our Halloween Guides:

Halloween resources for even more Fall fun.

• Family-Friendly Halloween Activities
• Trick or Treating & Trunk or Treating in KC
• Kids Eat FREE on Halloween
• Candy Buy Backs
• Fall Drink Ideas (maybe add alcohol…)
• No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas
• Haunted Houses in KC
• Halloween snack ideas for kids
• The Teal Pumpkin Project

From our family to yours, iFamilyKC.