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Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Local Flavor Performing Arts, Local Flavor [Edit]
2775 Lebanon RdManheim, PA 17545
(717) 665-7021
- Hours:
Sat-Sun 11 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
22 reviews for Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
22 reviews in English
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Review from Jen K.
Philadelphia, PA
1/27/2012
I love this place, and can never get out there enough to appease my yearning for it. The Faire is open in the late summer through fall, and then there are events throughout the rest of the year at the mansion estate.
Fairies, jousting, pirates, glass blowing, giant turkey legs, wine tasting, magic shows, belly dancers, men in kilts- somebody just stop me!
Where else can you look forward to being surrounded by falconers and men in chain maille, with a burly, stinky-looking bartender happily insulting you while he slings you delicious mead? What more fun can you have on a Sunday afternoon? -
Review from Maura G.
11/14/2011
pickles on a stick! oh yeah, and jousting and stuff like that, but they have pickles on a stick! HUZZAH!
one day i will be victorious in the pickle eating contest. until then, i will fill my glass with mead and cheers the queen.
you can get discount tix online or at the highway rest stops along the way. i think it's still free if you dress up. food can be pricey and i don't find it all that great, so take my advice and dine on pickles on a stick all day.
even if you think renaissance faires are not your thing, there is something here that you can enjoy. the actors are very professional, never dropping character. lots of special events, such as irish weekend and oktoberfest. they also have halloween events, like the poe readings, and christmas events once the faire is closed.Listed in: Tickle my Pickle
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Review from Jamie M.
Updated - 9/18/2011
I'm downgrading my review as a result of yesterday's visit.
I've always been an avid fan of the PA Renaissance Faire, but this year just did not measure up. Some of my fave acts were cut from the program and the ones that remained from previous years were not up to the previous years' standards. Even Queen Elizabeth was not as great an actress as last year.
Also, my friend was sick in the first aid building as a result from something he consumed at the faire. Then when I went back to check on him, the male EMT on duty referred to him as "the puker". Really? Even if you don't know his name, that is really vulgar and uncalled for.
When I brought this to their attention via email, I was just given a lot of excuses (actor schedules, etc) although she said she will inform the supervisor of the EMT area about that issue. They don't take the safety and happiness of their customers seriously and I will think twice about patronizing this business as a result.
To top it off, they no longer sell discount tickets at the travel plazas (even though the official site lists them as a location to get coupons) and the travel plaza informed me that the faire had stopped this year so that they could retain more of their profits. They also claim to have coupons at the plazas in their place but the woman at the travel area I went to said they have not received those brochures in 3 years!
So in essence, they want to keep more of their money, but don't deliver in the way they have in the past! I won't be returning to a place that is run by such greedy management unless they can actually deliver on the experience they used to have.
Until then, Maryland Renaissance Faire, here I come!Listed in: Lancaster: Not just for the…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/17/2010
I love this place. Everything about it from the role playing and dressing up and even the crazy… Read more »
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Review from Peggy K.
New York, NY
Go on an empty stomach, cause u will stuff ur face! :-) Cannot wait to go back and get the cider beer and sausage egg! Omgosh... I just want to eat everything!!!
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Review from J D.
Bethlehem, PA
11/14/2011
My first trip to the PA Ren Faire was this Fall and I was delighted with the venue. Friendly staff and patrons. Many were dressed in costumes. There is a great deal to see and enjoy. I cannot wait to attend next year!
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Review from Dane E.
York, PA
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Getting expensive to go if you don't go the 1st weekend or labor day weekend (BYGO Free adult tickets) It's $24.99 if you buy them online and print them out. I've been going for years and have had a season pass for a few also. There has been a lot of changes but it's still good to go at least once a season to see some of our favorite vendors and shows. Our son is 4 now so now he's really getting into everything. I've seen a bunch of posts about the humor. Basically everything has a sexual meaning behind it. That's just how it is but it is always above the kids head.
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Review from Nu S.
Philadelphia, PA
9/12/2011
if you haven't gone here you should. i love this place. i first went when i was a young kid and i try to go with a big group now as an adult.
if you have AAA, Student, military ID you can get 5 off on your admission and keep an eye out for coupons places.
it's fun that you can interact with people and who cares about the overacting! it's so much fun. -
Review from Nichole A.
King of Prussia, PA
5/9/2011
Our family has visited the PA Ren Faire for the past 2 yrs. now. I thoroughly enjoy the role-playing aspect (though not to the extreme as most do here, lol) we don't dress up or anything. Getting to interact with each character as soon as you enter the park is quite humorous -costumes are very creative. Live music as you walk through the wooded park. Truly a sense of old-world royalty with burnt incense floating around. I guess you have to be into this sort of thing... also, be prepared to bow to Her Majesty The Queen as you sip some tea with her too!
Our boys are big fans of dueling, knights, sword fights (they have a place where brothers or sisters, whoever may duel with each other for fun) --the whole role playing adventure definitely brings it all to life, which is pretty cool even for me, their mother being normally more of a conservative.
The prices are typical, reasonable. But I would recommend saving up if you enjoy the shops!
Our favorite part are the side shows "Mud Palace" a hoot! They hold many side shows throughout the day and the finale in the theater -lots of talent here too!
*One note to parents: some of the shows are "adult" themed/humor and some scantily clad women walking around the "pirate themed areas" at times --please be prepared to stay in children areas most of the day as we did with ours. It may certainly be offensive to some with the beer drinking too. "Think, Pirates of The Carribean comes to life, with a bit of Princess Bride, maybe some Monty Python too."
*Again, if you're not interested in this type of thing, I would not recommend going.
Thank Thee for listening! Good Day! God Save The Queen... :) -
Review from Lisa M.
9/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Coming to the Renaissance Faire is a yearly tradition for me. If you can get to the PA Turnpike, the Faire is really easy to get to, right off exit 266.
Its getting kinda expensive, I think $29.99 for an adult but there are plenty of ways to buy discount tickets including at a service area on the turnpike before you get there.
The actors over act and I'm sure they are killing history with their incorrectness but I don't care, its fun. There are good shows ( I recommend the Don Juan and Miguel show and the falcon show).
The food is pricey but good. Lots of people really go for the giant turkey leg. I had some potato pancakes, pretzels with baked crab dip and an apple dumpling that were all pretty good, not to mention wine samples. Oh yes, the Faire is actually on a winery's property so they have lots of wine samples for you because they want you to buy wine in the shop outside the gates, which most people do. I know I fall into that trap happily every year. -
Review from Jessica T.
Philadelphia, PA
10/28/2011
The man and I decided to head to the Pa Renaissance Faire for the Octoberfest weekend because we both enjoyed it a few years ago when we went, and we remembered there being some tasty food, good beer, and fun renaissance faire type shenanigans to amuse us. What a huge mistake. It's pretty clear that the renaissance fair hasn't survived the bad economy. The prices seem higher than ever and the quality has plummeted. We spent a ridiculous amount of money on food because most of the things we ordered were so disgusting that we had to throw them away after one bite. The crepes were probably the most disappointing. I warned the man not to even order them because the girl running the stand had a terrible attitude (and not because she was acting like an angry character, because she was just a rude awful person in general). They basically tasted like gross canned pie filling heated up in a tortilla. There was nothing crepe like about them. I could keep going and mention what was wrong with everything we ordered, but that would take awhile. I will say, before leaving we got funnel cake and that was the one thing they didn't screw up. Otherwise the actors were lame, the beer was insanely overpriced. Definitely not worth leaving the city and driving all the way out to Lebanon PA. I would say if you don't have kids there is no reason to go here.
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Review from Austen T.
Washington, DC
8/31/2010
The Renaissance Faire is loads of fun. Although, I suppose you have to be into that sort of thing. It's kind of got some of the cultural aspects of Disney World, but it's not quite as Disneyfied. Obviously things are a bit exaggerated and not completely authentic, but that's part of the fun!
The crew is really fun to interact with, and they can be quite funny as well. The property is much bigger than I expected, so there are lots of different things to see and experience. While I didn't get the chance to try one before, I'm hoping to eat a turkey leg if I go back again. They also have events held in the Mansion around Halloween and Christmas that I'd definitely recommend. They're similar to the Renaissance Faire experience, but they're much smaller and more interactive. -
Review from Emily B.
Santa Monica, CA
10/20/2009
Hands down, THE BEST renaissance faire I have EVER been to. I remembered going as a kid in elementary school before moving down to Georgia and I went back 10 years later when I went back to PA for college and was shocked to find that it was even better than I remembered.
They put on a really spectacular show, but they do it with a lot of heart. (For the opposite of this, a terrible show with no heart in it at all, try the California Renaissance Pleasure Faire.)
There is no other Faire that has the animals they do (elephant rides, large falcon/raptor collection), the pyrotechnics (the most INSANE jousting match I have ever seen), or the cast that they have (the faire is GIGANTIC).
Whats more, this Faire is held AT a winery/brewery so the drinks are fairly priced and incredible. I had the most amazing pale ale here, which, of course, only adds to the atmosphere, since people aren't carrying around crappy Bud Light.
The food is great (standard Faire food, but delicious without fail) and the shows are all top notch!
The Faire certainly benefits from the size of the property, as it is the only Faire I've been too where the horses really get a chance to get running good and fast for a joust and it's also the only Faire I've seen with an actual large scale permanent wooden chess board, where the actors really have room to duke it out. You can get lost wandering the different tiny paths available to you.
I think the best part, though, was this memory I have of being there after dark (most Faires seem to close before or at dusk) in front of this beautiful little cottage full of incense. Everything was glowing in the darkness and just beautiful. Magic was almost in the air, as it should be at a Renaissance Faire. -
Review from Tara C.
Clementon, NJ
7/28/2010
The PA Ren Faire is pretty standard among the larger renaissance faires. It's grown steadily more commercial over time. While it doesn't have the coziness of smaller faires, it does allow for more shows, entertainment, vendors, and more. I feel like you get more here for your money than you do at other faires. Games and special events like Queen's Tea cost extra, but for the most part the shows and activities are free or low-cost.
The staff love what they do, and that really makes a positive difference. Don't be shy about going in costume...whether it's full regalia or fairy wings.Listed in: Renaissance Affairs
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Review from Mia K.
Baton Rouge, LA
6/25/2007
Yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me!
The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is open from August until October, but there are other ways to get your historical-party fix until then. Throughout the year - other events are also hosted at the Faire grounds.
This past weekend I went to the Celtic festival. It was absolutely amazing. Fun rides, great vendors, and amazing food made the day. The characters are great and are obviously very passionate about what they do.
And nothing is uber-expensive either! A ride on the Hippogriff (Half horse, half eagle wooden ride pushed by a pirate) cost only 2$ each and lasted longer than most amusement park rides. Sure, it's not super thrilling - but fun nonetheless.
The only thing I regret is every summer before this that I didn't go!Listed in: Yeeee-haaaaaaa!, Great daytrips from…
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Review from Tom G.
Brighton, MA
8/11/2008
I attended the RenFaire for the 3rd time this Saturday, opening weekend, and I had a blast again. At about 90 minutes from Philly, it's not exactly close, but not insane for a day's outing.
The costs are increasing ever increasing, at $28.95/person, it is getting a bit out of hand - so the only time I ever consider going is the opening weekend when you can get buy-one-get-one coupons at Hess/Turkey Hill/Burger King. $14.50/person is a good deal considering most of the shows are included in the cost.
You enter through the gates and are greeted by actors in various types of Celtic/Medieval/Renaissance garb, most staying in character. It can be a lot of fun talking/interacting with the actors.
There are four components to the RenFaire: Food, Beer/Wine, Shows, and Shopping. The food is average at best. Get a turkey leg for $6 and a soda for $2 and you'll have a good meal - and how often do you get to chow down on a turkey leg?
See the shows (often filled with sexual humor) and browse the shops. Finish up with some beer at the Swashbuckler or some wine (although, being the wine snob that I am, I did not like a single wine I tried). -
Review from Dan R.
12/18/2007 6 photos
I've been to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (At the Mount Hope Estate & Winery) about four times now. This past year we went to the Celtic Fling to check out the Highland Games & Celtic Music Fest. This year they had Blackthorn, Hunting McLeod, Scythian, Tartan Terrors and Ceann. As of 2010 regular adult admission is 29.95, it continues to rise by about 2 dollars per year. but they usually have discount coupons at Hess, Turkey Hill, Burger King & Boyer's that can kind of help out.
What can I say about the Pa Ren Faire other than..... Its as if 1600's England, Scotland and Ireland come to Lancaster County for just a few days, Its something you remember for a lifetime. They have elephant rides, falconry, jousting, jesters, pipe & drum bands, all sorts of things. Theres the Kissing Bridge, the Misting Bridge. You can buy Clothing, Jewelry, Turkey legs, pirate swords, and then theres always the human chess match.
Also has other events like: Celtic Fling, Poe Evermore, Dickens of a Christmas, Oktoberfest, etc...Listed in: Pennsylvania Must See
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Review from brian r.
Harrisburg, PA
9/9/2008
Finally made it to the much hyped PA Ren Faire, I've got to say it was well worth the trip. After 5pm the ticket prices are cut in half, not a bad deal.
The scope of the place- the actors, the performances, and the shops were all terribly entertaining. Not to mention the hundreds of grown adults dressed up in their childhood fantasies and speaking with awful fake accents- hilarious. I mean I really laughed a great deal, as most people here are really, really into the role playing. The jousting show was pretty impressive, and there is quite a bit to see and do. They have a winery and microbrewery on the premises as well.
They do take credit cards at the front gate, but be prepared to pay cash for everything inside the park. I definitely recommend checking the place out at least once.Listed in: Favorite Destinations Around…
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Review from Vanessa W.
Bethlehem, PA
10/10/2008
For those of you who have attended the Ren Faire in the past, expect a lot of changes. The faire has gone from a smaller, rustic, somewhat authentic Ren Faire, to a commercial version that more closely resembles Medieval Times.
Once you're over the shock, it's a good time. Overall the performances/shows are ok, but a few not to miss are the Sultry Sirens of Sin (not kid-friendly), the Mud Pit, the falconer (they are expanding their raptor group there), and the joust.
If you're looking for something authentic, don't come here as they make more than a few historical missteps, and hardly anyone speaks with an English accent anymore. But it's a great way to spend the day outside with the kids one weekend - especially little princesses. : O ) -
Review from Amador A.
1/13/2009
I came here for Oktoberfest and it is a must do if you like the Oktoberfest theme. There are over 10+ bars that serve their home-brewed beer which you can also walk around the Faire with.
In addition to their beer they open up the field for some German song signing, be careful as some beer may get on you when pacing side to side signing.
As far as Faire food they plenty selections to choose from. My favorite is the extra large Turkey that you eat right from the bone (don't dare to eat it with a knife or fork). Also during Oktoberfest there were fresh potato pancakes, brat and fresh kraut served under the big tent.
The daily itinerary will keep you busy. All through out the day are shows performed by the actors which they portray to be from medieval times. Don't forget to check out the archery show right before the joust.
Next time I am in the area I will definitely be coming here again!!!! -
Review from Rosemary L.
Orlando, FL
9/11/2009
They have elephant rides, need I say more? My husband and I had an absolute blast here. We primarily got drunk on Meade and laughed at people for 5 hours (mean, I know, but OH how fun.) but it was definitely money well spent. Oh, and for those of you with children, this place is a little kid's fantasy. Like Disneyland only interactive, educational, no rides and more torture.
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Review from Ali M.
Panacea, FL
1/28/2010
This is one of the best Ren fairs I've ever been to. Had a blast in 2008. Am going again in Oct 2010. If you love fairs, don't miss this one!
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Review from Matthew D.
Las Vegas, NV
8/31/2009
Mucho Fun!!
