Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival

My family deprived me of fun as a child (kidding) but for some reason I never went here as a child. My friend brought up how she wanted to go since she’s never been there as well and we decided to go the next day.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but it was TOTALLY cool. It felt as if you were sent back in time. Admission was $ 18 and some change but someone was giving out coupons in line for $ 3 off. While in line, the actors kept us entertained the entire time. it was a cool glimpse of what we were about to expect.
Once inside, i couldn’t stop smiling! it was soo cool. Even the ATM was taken back in time and known as «Ye Old ATM». Its a good idea to stop there. I’m assuming vendors are cash only.
We passed by many homemade crafts, headbands, dresses, purses, games, food. everything from renaissance times. There was a cute area for kids plus cool kids games.
I expected this to be your normal «county fair» and just a giant space with tons of food rides and vendors. Surprisingly its like a little town and instead of all open, a path led you to the next area. It resembled a little town and was sooooo cute!
We ate a big breakfast so we werent very hungry. I did end up getting a strawberry shortcake which was great. My friend ordered beef stew in a bread bowl. Food prices were extremely reasonable and they had a decent amount of options. turkey legs, pork & sauerkraut, bangers & mash, pizza, breadsticks, desserts, ect.
We watched jousting as well as the german comedy rap show– which was hilarious (& not very kid friendly, lol)
We left with cool stones that we are going to research and may even begin collection. I’m excited to make it an annual thing. My bf would love it here and im sad he missed out.

I absolutely love this faire. I have attended Renaissance Faires for over 30 years and this is the faire that faires used to be. Small enough to be quaint, large enough to capture the imagination. The cast is engaging and fun! It is nestled in the woods. Not like the commercialized faires we have seen in the last few years. You won’t find paved pathways here. The shows are smart and entertaining. It is what faires used to be and they are getting harder to find. The only thing keeping me from attending every weekend is the distance! So much fun!

My family and I went for the first time last weekend. We live less than five minutes away and never had the opportunity to go. We went during children’s weekend and union weekend, so we only ended up paying one admission fee! My son is very imaginative and dressed like a pirate for the day. The «characters» were very involved and did not disappoint!
You can’t go there and not try a turkey leg. The food was pretty good. The wash wenches were hilarious and they had an array of handmade crafts and pottery.
My family and I had a great time and will definitely come again. We are actually hoping to go again for the last Octoberfest weekend!

I purchased a Living Social deal for $ 11 a person rather than the normal $ 18.95, I don’t know that I would pay full price but I felt like we got our money’s worth for $ 11. Free parking which is always nice. Very easy to get to. Lots of things to see with different performers and people walking around, the jousting show was a lot of fun to watch. PRIME people watching if you’re into that. Good variety of food and not horribly priced for fair/​carnival fare, the giant turkey leg was $ 7.50 and I couldn’t even eat the whole thing. Shaved ice was $ 2.25 and sodas/​water were also $ 2.25.
The grounds were really uneven and could turn into a mudpit if it was rainy. If you have mobility issues there is very little you would actually be able to enjoy with the hills and rough terrain. Fun day! Huzzah!

I enjoyed this Renaissance festival a little less than I did for ones that are run by other companies in other areas. Nonetheless, my favorite parts were the jousting, vegetable justice, and fire juggler/​blower. The festival has some concession stands for food and shops for medieval goods. The weather was good for us, but I imagine that the ground can get muddy when it rains. I will not return to this festival next year, but I recommend it if you live in the Pittsburgh area and are looking for some activity to do.

I was dreading going to this, but it turned out to be pretty fun. You don’t have to go in costume if u don’t want to. It’s mostly people selling stuff, but it’s still really fun. Random belly dancers waking around, acrobats, people playing music. Plan to go next year. Take a lot of money with you though. The stuff being sold is expensive!

I went to the Renaissance Festival for my first time last Sunday. It was a fun experience and something I was glad I could finally go to. I thought there would be maybe more activities to do, instead there was a lot more of shopping. The shops were all very cute and unique, they were all just pretty expensive! The atmosphere really made you feel like you were in medieval times, from all the people dressed up (workers and people at the festival), how the people were talking, people walking around with turkey legs, the jousting, etc. They have some fun games, you pay of course. I think the best thing at the festival was the vegetable toss, where a worker was in a wooden board that he just put his face in, for a certain amount of money you’d get tomatoes and would be able to try and hit him in the face. He does insult whoever is throwing the tomatoes, but it’s all in good fun, everyone laughs at it… he deos I would go back but not for awhile. It’s something I only see doing every few years or so.

Good thing I went again this year to update my review !!! I was very excited to go again this year, only to find that the second visit was total overkill. Once a year, 2 years in a row was way too much for me because little changes year to year. This is the type of place I would enjoy every couple of years (and maybe even never again!) and I will explain why. You pay $ 17 to go in, even with a discount coupon, you’re looking at a $ 15 admission. You are paying to essentially go into a Renaissance mall. Most of the area is vcomprised of stores to buy goods, services, and games. BUY BUY BUY, as though the $ 17 admission wasn’t enough. Even the games there are at a cost of $ 2−5+. There are randomly placed actors who will engage you, which is fun, and there is a parade of the queen and king at numerous times of the day. The only thing that is free is the entertainment, which isn’t that entertaining. I watched the belly dancing briefly, the fire spitter, jousting, the hypnotist and the Wenches show. The Wenches are outrageous and have no limits. They straddled men’s faces, put their heads under their skirts and made sexual commentary the whole time. It was not appropriate for kids and was way overdone. Do it once maybe, but to 3 – 4 different guys… that’s just too much to watch for 10+ minutes. The hypnotist was interesting and thorough. If someone on stage from the crowd wasn’t hypnotized, he asked them to leave and try again another time. The show did drag on and you watched the people either sleep or sit with their eyes closed with the occasional hand up for a «drink» or a shiver for the «cold.» The jousting was plain boring and was rather archaic to still be performing with real live horses, who could get hurt, startled, or run amok towards the crowds. There was also a real live, pony carousel in which the ponies are strapped and confined to a carousel. The workers wee cruel and the «ride» did not appear to be safe with the unpredictability of the staff and animals present. This is something the fair could do without. There are some great stands though. I bought loose leaf pirate tea (2 oz for $ 8– pricey) and the man working was really helpful and friendly. All in all, know what you’re paying for upon entering the gates and be ready to spend money, because aside from the shows, that is the only thing to do there! The Medieval feel is unique and worth a one time visit, but making it a tradition will not be happening for me!

This place is so magical.
But Periwinkle, the unicorn, is mean.

First time at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival today. It is quite the experience. I went in there with no preconceived notions or expectations of any kind.
When you walk in you really feel like you are taken back into that time period. It literally looks and feels the middle ages. There are a ton of people dressed up and the booths and stands are also medivial looking.
They have numerous food and drink stands all throughout the festival. The food and drinks are really good and reasonably priced. The famous novelty turkey legs they sell are actually really good. I didn’t think I would like them but they are tasty, they actually taste like ham. You also have to try the macaroni on a stick, delicious! The kettle corn is really good too. They also sell drinks like coffee, lattes, cappachinos, frozen margaritas, frozen pina coladas, frozen lemonade, wine, and beer. Great variety!
Overall, this was a fun thing to do for the day. Would I go every year, probably not. The festival is mainly different stands of unique handmade goods. However, once you walk around once, there really isn’t too much else to do unless you see the shows.
Great idea and a lot of fun, but not something I’d go to every year.

The Renaissance Festival normally runs for 6 weekends from late August throughout Sept. They have people dressed as the court of King Henry VIII along with other characters you will meet along the way.
Some people like to dress in Renaissance style clothes but most people dressed casual. Grounds were a bit muddy since it had recently rained and there is extensive walking. The weekend of my visit was Celtic theme so I saw men wearing the traditional kilts. They have vendors throughout as well as a kids area and various performances as well as dancing. The have 3 daily jousts. My favorite is the washing wenchs-​please be advised this show is mature oriented and they do collect donations at the end.
Food was mediocre but can’t really expect much from a large outdoor festival. You can get discount tickets in advance which save a few bucks. I did have red velvet cheesecake for dessert. It was so frozen I couldn’t even cut it so I had to eat it with my fingers. It was very good.
To me it is a hit or miss. You have to be into it to really enjoy it.

After placing my review I realized that I forgot to mention the food! The most important part! The one item that everyone orders at ren fest is there smoked turkey leg. It’s huge and cost $ 7.50. I really considered ordering it and giving it a try, but I am not a fan of dark meat, especially when it comes I turkey :/​. I also thought that $ 7.50 was a little hefty. Instead, I ordered a sausage sandwich with sautéed peppers and onions! It was awesome and only put me back $ 4.50. Not bad! Overall, I’m disappointed in the selection of food at ren fest. The smoked turkey leg is the only item they serve that is true to the era of the festival. Everything else is rather basic and is food that you could probably find cheaper and better, elsewhere.

Came early and got to see the opening ceremony. I would say it’s best to get here early because there’s not as big of a crowd. The grounds were muddy. I wish they would lay gravel down. It would really help.
This past weekend they had wine tasting and I have to say my over all favorite was Christian K. Winery. I even took home a bottle of their lavender mist.
We stopped by a few shows. All of which I found very amusing. My favorite was prob the girl who chose guys out of the audience put little tutus around there necks then climbed on there shoulders and juggled.
The food was ok. The turkey leg was a bit to salty but was nice and tender. Also shared a soup bowl but it wasn’t that great. The man had steak on a stick that he liked as well.
My son played a few games and also rode a pony. He had a great time and loved his funnel cake. This was a very fun time and I can’t wait to go back.

First things first: The grounds can be muddy and uneven, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Because I was wearing a dress, I wore sandals, and I came home with muddy feet – and sandals!
I visited the PGH Renaissance Festival for the first time yesterday with some friends. We found a Living Social voucher for $ 10 admission, which was great since normal admission runs $ 15. Food at the festival was also very reasonably priced, which was pleasantly unexpected, and it wasn’t bad (I had a BBQ pork sandwich and ice cream chipwich). I only wish I’d tried a smoked turkey leg, since I later learned that they’re a tradition at Ren Fests!
In terms of activities, there were quite a few shows, which varied in quality. Our favorites were the jousting (of course), the guy who juggled and hula hooped with fire, and the carillon bells. The wenches and German rap show weren’t our cup of tea, given that the humor was on the cruder side. We really enjoyed listening to a band called the Plunder Doggs play ballads on the Pirates’ Pub stage, as well.
The Ren Fest has themed weekends, and this past weekend was wine tasting weekend, which made it a great one for a visit. There were two wineries offering samples, and we tasted all of them from Christian Klay winery, and they were great! We didn’t try the other winery’s samples because we decided we didn’t want to stand in line again, and we felt satiated after having sampled ~8−10 wines.
Overall, the PGH Ren Fest was a fun experience, despite its muddiness! My only other similar experience was the Pennsylvania Ren Faire in Eastern PA, which I attended in 7^th grade (oh, the memories!), and was much larger and more diverse. Between the comparison with the PA Ren Faire and the mud, I can’t award 5 stars in good conscience. However, the PGH Ren Fest is definitely a fun time for all ages, so I’d recommend checking it out if you don’t want to make the trek to the PA Ren Faire.

I spent a lovely August day in «Morelandshire» and had a fun time. My husband and I have been here other years and always enjoyed it. Be prepared to walk a lot and wear sensible shoes. There were quite a few women trying to navigate the muddy paths and tree roots while wearing high heeled shoes and boots. It was fun seeing the variety of costumes worn by the visitors as well as the inhabitants of the shire. Each year more and more people dress up as knights, fairies, steam punk, celts or anything they wish.
The entertainment had a few changes, but we were happy to see our favorite: The Washing Wenches. Bawdy and hilarious.
As for food, it seemed that turkey legs were popular, as well as roast beef, pulled pork, and the standard fair food. Alcohol is available.
This is a great time for kids although some shows may not be age appropriate.

I love when they are all built-​up, like true little villages.
Happy staff & friendly people all around. Beautiful costumes, as always.
Found an amazing place to get Henna!

Ah, the Pittsburgh Ren Fair. I’ve been a regular here as far back as I can remember — we’re talking back to the years when my age was still in the single digits. It’s actually kind of cool being able to look that far back — especially since the Ren Fair has grown so much over the years. There’s plenty here for people of all ages.
The name is slightly misleading seeing as the site for this festival is an hour out of Pittsburgh, but you’ve never been here, it’s well worth the drive. There’s a whole slew of things to do and watch. There’s jousting, of course — just pick your seat carefully; one of the additions that’s been made to the jousting arena are some very loud speakers that probably really help the actors’ voices but aren’t kind to the ears. If jousting isn’t your thing, there’s a variety of comedy shows: I’m a big fan of the Duelists. Other shows and acts here include but are not limited to various musicians, belly dancers, and demonstrations of glass blowing. My absolute favorite act here is Cast In Bronze, which highlights the work of Frank DellaPenna on his traveling carillon. There’s nothing like it and I hope he continues to visit the fair for many years to come.
If you’re sick of shows, go shopping! There’s always a huge variety of handmade crafts here, from jewelery to wood work to bronze and glass statues to hand soap. That’s just a handful of the things you can find! There’s definitely a lot of really cool stuff to find here — my most recent and beloved find is a watch that looks like a locket that I can wear around my neck — and all of the merchants in my experience are lovely and will happily talk to you about their shop and the items in it.
Food here leaves a bit to be wanted but it’s at least not as expensive as the food I’ve seen at other fairs. Be warned: as fun as things are, this is a Ren Fair. The ground is not paved, at all — it’s uneven and, since the weather here is the same as in Pittsburgh, often muddy and slippery. Be prepared to watch your step and wear shoes that can handle steep muddy paths.
My only «complaint» is the fact that things really don’t change often or quickly here. Most years seem to be exactly the same as the year before them in terms of the line-​up of shows. However, this is a minor complaint seeing as the people that do keep coming back clearly love what they do, and that passion shows through. The festival also makes up for this since they offer themed weekends with slightly different additions to the line-​up during each one.
Final verdict: a few small flaws can’t keep me away from a nostalgic favorite. I’ll be back again — same time next year, guys!

Huzzah! A lovely day was spent at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Fest! First time at the here but I have been to others in LA and Chicago. It was delightful (and much more affordable!) True, this one is smaller but nothing important has been omitted. In fact, one of my favorite things is that it is almost entirely in the shade! I can’t imagine a more apropos setting then its charming wooded area. I half expected to see fairies and sprites around each new turn. Parking is free and plentiful. Food was good (albeit not particularly healthy) and vegetarian options are available. Try the macaroni and cheese on a stick, but don’t tell your heart surgeon I sent you. (Where was the cider? Where the mead?) See as many of the shows on the various stages that you can. Go to the joust. Dressing up is encouraged and a highlight for my kid. Save yourself a couple of bucks and stop by one of their sponsors for some coupons. The info is on their website. Personally, I think it’s weird they picked Henry 8 rather then Elizabeth as monarch (a serial behead-​er vs. Shakespeare’s patron?) but I’m really splitting hairs. This is an all around, fun, family friendly day!

I’ve been to several fairs around the country, and what this one lacks in size, it more than makes up for in spirit. The location is wonderful, partially open, partially wooded, and every year I’ve gone back there’s something new. This year they opened up a brand new section, which I’m sure will be developed even further.
The people there are friendly, and it’s probably one of the more inexpensive fairs I’ve been to. If I were to nitpick, I’d like to see a better selection of food; I think the beer prices are reasonable, but I think I’d like to be able to buy a larger size for $ 7.00 than have to buy two small ones for $ 3.50. I realize that Coors is a sponsor, but a little more variety please — although I’m quite content with Guinness all day.
I could say that I wish there were more performers, but in a sense, you get what you pay for, and since it’s reasonable inexpensive, I have no problem giving this festival five stars.
And honestly, The Washing Well Wenches, Izzi & Pearl, are practically worth the price of admission.

This festival is a smaller version of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in Manheim. There are shops, food stands, music, plays, comedy shows, and games such as throwing axes and archery. It is a good time, but nothing fantastic. I would recommend going to the bigger one in Manheim if you can. But don’t skip out on this one altogether. It’s still something fun to do.