Pack a costume, or don’t. The Texas Renaissance Festival returns for its its 52nd season this weekend! Kicking off Saturday, Oct. 10, the annual event will run on weekends through Sunday, November 29, with an extra day on Friday, November 27. In Todd Mission, the 70-acre, 16th-century European village regularly draws of half a million visitors annually, featuring a kingdom of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy!
Themed weekends began in 2005 to get visitors into the spirit, and each one comes with its own costume contest and, in most cases, an eating contest. Winners can take home tickets for next year.
Oct. 10–11, Oktoberfest: Bavarian opening celebration with a bratwurst-eating contest.
Oct. 17–18, 1001 Dreams: fairies, elves and fantasy creatures, plus a fiery dragon-wing-eating contest.
Oct. 24–25, Pirate’s Adventure: Best Dressed Pirate and a fish-and-chips-eating contest.
Oct. 31–Nov. 1, All Hallow’s Eve: Halloween celebration with a kettle-corn-eating contest.
Nov. 7–8, Heroes and Villains: characters from history and legend, and a gyro-eating contest.
Nov. 14–15, Barbarian Invasion: the Great Horde celebration with a barbarian costume contest.
Nov. 21–22, Highland Fling: Highland games, a Bonnie Knees contest and a haggis-eating contest.
Nov. 27–29, Celtic Christmas: holiday costume contest, a pumpkin-pie-eating contest and visits with Father Christmas near the entrance all three days.
More than 200 daily performances run across 21 stages and in the streets: jousting, juggling, magic, acrobatics and music. The Hanlon-Lees Action Theatre jousts at the Arena at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Grand Marche Parade and the King and Queen’s Royal Proclamation also run daily, and a fire show and royal fireworks close the day at 7:30 p.m.
New for 2026: Lester Jesterson at the Mockingbird Music Gazebo, Paladin, The Errant Fool, roaming the village, and Sons of Olympus on The Greek Agora Stage. New shops include Belrose East Costume Rental at the front gate, handy if you forgot your outfit, plus The Pearl’s Revenge (pearl jewelry), Dragon Flair (dragon-egg candles) and Rusalka (cast silver, brass and copper jewelry).
Shopping: Nearly 400 shops sell pottery, metalwork, woodcarvings and jewelry, and 34 artisans demonstrate traditional techniques, from blacksmithing and glassblowing to broom making and coin minting.
The festival lists more than 1,000 food offerings, from turkey legs and barbecue to German, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian and Polish dishes. Vegetarian options are available at spots including Achilles Greek Food, Fat Friar’s and the Red Lion Pub. Gluten-free items are marked at the Italian Village, The Queen’s Pantry and The King’s Feast.
New this year: Fable & Cacao’s chocolate books, elotes on a stick from The Corn Quistadores, German dishes at Der Metzger and Nytes Brew coffee and tea apothecary.
The King’s Feast is a two-hour dinner-theatre show in the King’s Arms Feast Hall, with a six-course meal, music and comedy.
For adults 21 and over, the lineup includes wine, mead, bourbon and rum, scotch and agave tastings. The “Quest for the Holy Fail” pub crawl includes four drink tokens, an enamel pin and a commemorative drinking vessel.
The campground at 11282 CR 302, Todd Mission, operates around the clock from Thursday at 8 a.m. through Monday at noon. General camping is first come, first served, with no reservations or marked sites. RV rentals, cabins and glamping can be reserved. Children 12 and under camp free.