Well….this depends on what you’re looking for in a festival. Tyger and I spent this last year visiting Faires in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. Whether it was our trip to The Great Lakes Medieval Faire in Ohio or the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in PA, it was our first time attending any of these events (except for Ravenwood in VA, this was our 2nd time).

What is the best faire… for your stomach- that would be the Maryland Renaissance Faire. There is no shortage of food at Revel Grove – sausage on a stick, corn dipped in a vat of butter, meat pies, chocolate dipped strawberries, mead, and the largest jalapeno poppers you’ll ever eat. What about the best faire for those who did a little too much tailgating? That would be the Ohio Renaissance Festival, their kingdom is essentially a circle. You can’t get lost and if you just keep walking, you’ll end up back where you started.

Ultimately, I have 2 “favorite” Faires. Yes, yes, I know I haven’t been to the festival in Texas. This opinion is based on my experiences so far. Ravenwood in VA and the Pennsylvania Ren Faire are at the top of my list.

My first favorite faire is Ravenwood in VA. It’s a small Faire. There were plenty of vendors if shopping is your thing. There was a small selection of food with a surprising variety; my personal favorite this year were the Sexi Mexi burritos. There was no lack of entertainment- you could listen to Cu Dubh, watch some Irish dancing, armored combat, jousting, or chat it up with Ravenwood royalty. As members of the Eastern Tribe of the Hoarde, we relaxed at our encampment and camped overnight in period style tents. A little hurricane weather couldn’t stop us. This place is special to Tyger and I because it is the first Faire that we travelled to outside of NY. Tyger proposed to me a few weeks ago at the Faire, and we will be getting married there in October 2023.

In second place, is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. I’m able to say this even though I wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t stay as long as I had hoped. Now…pay attention here. If you have no sense of direction or like to tailgate, bring a navigating sober person with you. You may get lost otherwise. That said, there is nothing that this Faire did not have. Good music…check. Good entertainment…check. Mermaids….check. Vendors…check. Food…check. This faire has everything. There were plenty of people, but not so many that I couldn’t find a place to rest, or seat to view a show. Plus, who doesn’t like a free t-shirt. We each recieved a free T for being one of the first people in the gates on opening day.

Join UWC Social and let us know about your favorite Faire. You can also listen to our “Guild of The ROC” podcast.