Bad Manor - Shakopee

Huzzah! The Renaissance Festival is a magical space. From the costumes to jousting and fencing , they have it all and perform with such charm. In 2023, the raving topic was parking which scared many people away with the new rules. (Even my party was skeptical as we weren't very fond of taking a shuttle. To our surprise, we did what we do every year and drove right up and paid the extra fee. It was worth it and made for a smooth transition into the festival. Do I think the land could use a facelift? Absolutely. I also wish the space was leveraged more frequently IE: a winter market, etc. Regardless, the outdatedness does really add to the nostalgia I experienced as a kid and I also understand this is part of the era. I always recommend grabbing beef sticks and pickles the stands are plentiful and easy to find. This year I was very happy to see more of an emphasis on Asian cuisine finding bubble tea, noodle dishes and egg rolls. As for entertainment, I recommend giving the jousting and sword fighting a chance to spice up your life. As far as the art goes you can't buy anything bad: candles, fairy gardens, jewelry, stained glass lights, pottery, crystals, mugs, chalices, and pens. Fun fact: My favorite caricature is from here back in 2018 I refuse to get another one made because it's my favorite memory. Huzzah forever!

Huzzah to the Renaissance!! If you don't know what that means then you need to go to the Renaissance to find out. Men in tights? Yes. Elves, queens, lords and fairies? Yes. Big, freakin, cool, feathered hats? Heck yas. This is the rare opportunity to go back in fantasy time and it's not even Halloween yet. Everyone dresses up and plays a part in the fest. I love it so much. There is so much to do here. The vendors are really great and have some beautiful hand-made items to take home. Next is all the food; The turkey leg is a must here. I'm not super impressed with the food but it still makes me happy to eat it. If you've spent enough on trinkets and food, don't worry, there is plenty of free entertainment to see. There are tons of acts at multiple stages and times. You can even throw tomatoes at someone who is insulting you. Oh, but don't go if you're easily offended. Some of the jokes can get a little raunchy and rude but it's all fun and games. I recommend getting your day started early if you plan to go. The line gets really long around noon so try to get there before then. We have waited for an hour and half just to get into the parking area before. Bring good walking shoes that you aren't afraid to get dirty. There is no pavement so you're walking in dirt and grass. Dress up and have fun!

Lines, waiting, lines, and more waiting. I'm going to assume the traffic and crowd that was present on 9/18 is not like a regular day at the fest. Cons: Bring cash. Many vendors don't accept credit cards. I learned the hard way by waiting in a long food line then getting to the front to learn that it was cash only. This was interesting to me during a time of Covid-19. The ATMs were not fully functioning also creating a long time WAITING. Some attire of patrons were not very family friendly. Pros: A variety of entertainment, numerous vendors, free parking, and activities for children.

I don't go to the MN Ren Fest very often about once a decade, but I will admit, it's definitely the best people watching EVER. Unlike the State Fair (which has amazing people watching too), this one has adults all decked out and dressed up! While this isn't my thing, I love seeing this level of enthusiasm! I'm not a huge shopper, but I will admit that the booths that they have here are awesome from small crystals to dragons to wooden swords, etc. Ren Fest is super dog and kid friendly, and my 8 year old had so much fun! I'll also say that the hidden mazes (e.g., count the of dragons and get a small kid prize) and fun, free things were cool too. That said, you can easily blow through A LOT of cash quickly (like the MN state fair) so be prepared! (There are ATMs everywhere).

My favorite outing of the year!! From people watching to eating beer cheese soup in a bread bowl to drinking bloody Mary's or mead to dressing up. This place has it all. The shows will have you belly laughing, the food while a bit spendy at times is always consistently good, the drinks are cold and refreshing, and the workers there are guaranteed to make you smile. Can't wait to come back for the turkey legs!