Renaissance festivals have taken over my TikTok For You Page. From the elaborate outfits, to the turkey legs, to the joust — I knew I had to go. An opportunity to go with my campus book club arose, and I jumped at the chance. Since I had never gone before, I was a little overwhelmed with the planning: what to wear, what to bring, and overall what to expect. Here’s everything I did prep for the event, and what you should know before you go.
The outfit.
Arguably, the most important part about going to a renaissance festival: picking out your outfit. I watched so many TikToks and scoured Pinterest to find the right vibe and to get inspiration. The truth is that you don’t have to dress up, but it is definitely fun to do. There are both people in jeans and a t-shirt, and others in full regalia, so either way you definitely won’t be out of place.
My tip is to look at what you already own because you probably already have the basics. I wore a white, flowy skirt, a black blouse, and my black boots from my closet. From there you can look at Amazon or go thrifting for cute belts, hair scarves, corsets, and anything else you’d like to add! I felt like I fit right in with everything I ended up wearing!
Shopping.
There are so many trinket and jewelry stores that it’s okay if it all feels overwhelming. My advice: bring cash since many vendors don’t accept card. Also, don’t buy everything you see right away. You should definitely set a budget beforehand. In addition, many of the shops are repeat sellers, so if you find something you like at one of them, you may see it later at another shop.
The joust.
This is truly a classic at any ren faire. Honestly, there’s just something so entertaining about watching people on horses battle with long swords. Due to this being such a cool event, it is insanely popular, so get there early to get a seat! You should learn it from me — I showed up right before the joust started, and there were rows of people that I could barely see over their heads.
Overall, remember to have fun and live in the moment. Take pictures, but don’t be so worried about getting the right ones for Instagram that you miss out on where you are. Soak in all of the people, and don’t be worried if everything isn’t going to plan. There are so many cool things to see, so you’ll have fun no matter what you do there!