king richard's faire

King Richard's Faire is a lot of fun. There are great performances and demonstrations, there is a lot to see, and lots of interesting food. The entrance fees and the cost of food are very high, making this cost prohibitive for a lot of families. The food and drinks are purchased by food tickets, which you haev to purchase in bulk. Be sure to bring your wallet.

We had a mostly good day. However, it does get pricey! But a lot of the shows were funny and entertaining and my niece had fun. She liked doing the wax hand thing.

On the surface King Richard's Faire seems like it's pretty expensive at about $30 for adults and it is if you don't spend a full day there. Each year there is a theatrical play that takes place in various areas of the kingdom. It starts outside the gates just as the faire is opening so you'll want to get there a little before the 10:00 AM opening and plan on staying the day.Food and drinks are pricey (think captive audience), however, you can have your hand stamped and go back to you car for a packed lunch (that's what we do). With the animal exhibits (world's largest cat - a Liger (lion/tiger cross) as well as other trained cats and shows like the beggars mud pit, real horseback jousting, etc. This is all pretty good value in my opinion. Some people do this every year, others like myself tend to head there every 4-5 years.Some of the characters (as well as some of the customers) dress in somewhat scanty clothing so parental guidance may be a good idea.They are open weekends from Labor Day through October, but plan on a nice weather day - pretty dismal in the rain.

I love King Richard's Faire; I've been going since I was a little kid and will always love it. Let me start with the negative. KRF is EXPENSIVE--do not walk in with less than $50 cash per person; lots more if you are a big eater or drinker. $30 of those dollars will go toward admission (adult; kids are about $20--the extra $10 from my initial $50 is for inevitably paying for games) right off the bat, with the remaining giving you about one food item and one drink. I highly recommend an empty water bottle to keep hydrated. Also, in line with the Renaissance theme, the show is in the middle of the woods--no pavement, lots of tree roots. Strollers and wheelchairs can access everything, but it might be difficult.I don't advise going more than once a year. The permanent shows are pretty much the same each year, but that frees you up to follow the plot acts and see the new shows. Also, the vendors don't change very much, but at least you can be fairly certain you can save up for that outfit or weapon that caught your eye.KRF is a permanent site with permanent structures, which thematically puts it way ahead of the other local Ren Faires. I LOVE that you get to enter a new world rather than walking among camping canopies on a re-purposed baseball field as at many other Faires. As an avid Ren Faire goer, I cant go more than a year or two without opening my purse a little wider and coming here. Maybe it's nostalgia, but it's also a good time.

This place is fun but the novelty wears out after a couple of trips there. Extremely expensive (about $30.00 per adult and 16.00 per child) Food and beer is pretty pricey too. don't wear any good clothes and wear comfy shoes. This place is all dirt as well as the parking lot.

King Richard's Faire is a very fun attraction, set in medieval times. There is almost always something going on, from Knights on Horseback to Buxom Maidens and Gypsies prancingabout barefoot on stage.All kinds of shows. You can shoot Archery, Throw a Hatchet, or Eat Huge Bar-B-Q'd Turkey Legs (Their Specialty), as well as shop the many handmade craft booths. Something for everyone, but bring a full wallet or purse..... It ain't cheap.

King Richard's Faire used to be IT. Like, save up and get your costume on and spend all day hanging out and having fun. Now, well, not sure if it's because I'm older or if it really isn't as great as it used to be...or maybe it was never that great and I just thought it was when I was a kid?The food and drink is VERY pricey and you have to buy tickets to use to purchase them. The tickets are sold at a minimum of, I believe, 10? And the tickets are $1 each. I bought $20 worth of tickets, figuring we could each have a drink and get a snack. And $14 later we each had one drink and I had 6 tickets left which weren't even going to buy an order of cheese fries (they were $7). I spent about $50 altogether for the two of us and it bought a total of five drinks and two snacks. The drinks are REALLY SMALL, too, so don't expect a "regular" glass of wine for that $7. It's about half the size you'd get in any restaurant or bar. The bartender was very entertaining, though, so I didn't mind too much. (And, I have to say this--please leave the guy a tip! It's not his fault they are charging so much for such small drinks, I heard plenty of people hassle him about prices, sizes, etc and saw them walk away without tossing a buck in his tip basket. Not cool.)The entertainment was ok. It was really crowded but we caught a few shows that varied from looking like "amateurs who must have known someone to get in" to "they should be traveling with Ringling Bros, they are that good". The knights on horseback were the best, those guys put on a great show. There was a pair that put on an acrobatics show, I think the girls name was Star? They were really good, too. On to the shopping...meh. There are some nifty things you can pick up there but most of it is overpriced. Now, if you're into the whole dressing up and partying like it's 1499 then you'll find plenty to wear but it's going to cost you. In general, I found that if the prices were marked or posted they were still high but within reason...if they weren't posted anywhere and you had to ask, don't bother. Any time I had to ask the price on something they gave me a price so high I had to wonder if they ever sold anything. Or maybe they quote different prices to different people, depending on what they think they can get out of you?With all the corporate advertising and high prices it's pretty clear that what used to be about the fun of it is now more about the cash of it but you can still have fun if you don't expect too much.

... it is all up to you! It is your choice. We chose to plan head, to be realistic about expectations and to have fun. Dressing up in a costume is optional, but we like to. We plan and budget money for this trip like we would any other significant family outing. My family manages to save enough loose change all year to cover the cost of admission and food at King Richard's Faire. We look for and take advantage of Groupon or Living Social deals. There are also discount coupons to be had. We find the costs to be no different than any other venue we go to where you can't bring in your own food and some things are an additional cost once you get inside. Our kids are aware of the spending limits before we enter the gates. We check out the faire website to look at weekend themes, events, show times and schedule our day. We always plan to spend the entire day... arriving early and leaving at the last Huzzah. We've gone several times over the past few years and each faire adventure has been different. We let ourselves get drawn into the fun, atmosphere and spirit of the time period. We have found the faire workers to be pleasant, friendly and engaging. The shows are entertaining (all included in the admission price but they do ask for tips) and the vendors sell quality, hand crafted merchandise. Our family now makes this trip an annual event. Oh... and if we end up with an extra odd food ticket we aren't going to use, we pay it forward to some family we might think could use it. Tree roots can be a stumbling hazard but they are part of the realistic charm of the venue. It might be an accessibility concern for some people.

I absolutely love the Faire, i usually visit aleast twice. Things can be a tad pricey. But it's a blast,lots is amazing shops and wares. People are amazing..Like stepping back in time,

I go every year. When you're there it puts you in a whole different world/time. They have so many activities/shows that the day just seems to fly by. Can't wait til next year! Everyone should experience it at least once. You'll get hooked as I did.

I've been going to the faire for over 20yrs now and I can't imagine autumn with out at least one trip to King Richard's Faire!! Between the shows, vendors, libations and food it's easy to spend a whole day there with family or friends! Happy 33rd Birthday! Here's to many, many more! See you next year!

I love this Faire,and all the performers. People in costume acknowledge each other as they pass by,which is one of the things I've always loved about this place. I consider it my home away from home and I'll keep coming back as long as I'm able.

1. Cash for admission2. Tickets to purchase food, and nothing you can do with the extras at the end of the day3. No "real" restrooms and nobody really trying to clean the ones that are set up4. End of every show you are asked for a tipsYes this is 2014 and the family who owns this event does not care how they treat their patrons, if you go these things will not change...which is why the Conn. Ren Faire is growing each year. Go knowing these things and enjoy the shows, don't tip, it's not required and there is no guilt to not tipping...you just paid $30 for admission. Shows can fill the day, and are easy to see, the 2 main shows are always well done and entertaining. People watching should also be considered part of the entertainment for the day...it is. As far as admission, lets agree that parking is included in the ticket price, parking fees are normal and they just made it easy by having you pay for it with your admission. Ever go to the Big E...you stop to pay $10 to park then stop again to pay for your admission.I also had a Living Social, and this was a BIG FAILURE that needs to be looked at....invest in a system that works as it was turning into a riot inducing mess at the ticket gates... Plan before you visit to be able to enjoy the woods filled with entertainment...or consider the Conn. Ren Fair where you will be treated better.

I really find King Richard's Faire to be a great place to visit with friends, family, and lovers. I'll get the negative comments out of the way, first. The only things I dislike is the food ticket system and how pricey the food is. You always have a few tickets too many, or are a few short. If they let people bring their own water, rather than charging $4 a bottle, that'd be nice, but they do have a water bubbler, though its a tad metallic tasting due to the old pipes. Other than that, it's just a bit expensive for an entrance fee, but you get to see as many shows as you'd like there, so it's reasonably priced in my eyes. It's also not as geared for small children as claimed- it's a Renaissance Faire, so adult humor is to be expected. I also wish that the acts would change their routine a bit every year so you have a better experience each time you attend a show, thus giving you more bang for your buck. Even though its a bit pricey, you can still have fun if the only thing you buy that day is your ticket inside. You can always eat before the Faire and after, so you aren't limited to eating their food, or instead of spending a lot on food, go buy a large kettle corn bag for $4 and split it with your friend as a snack to tie you over til you leave. The shows are hilarious! There's a lot of crude humor that should slip over small children's heads, but as a 17 year old, I personally love blue humor, so it makes it even funnier. This was my fourth visit- I go twice a year so far. Each time I go, I have more fun than the last. I adore the people that walk around the Faire, like the man with the mug on his head, or the coffin maker. My favorite act is the Bard of Carvershire- he doesn't get enough recognition. Hardly anyone bothers to lent him their ear and a half hour of their day, but he tells wonderful stories and is a great musician. I know the big shows are mostly paid based on tips, and I think the bard is too, so my boyfriend and I tip him generously. We gave him a ten dollar bill, and he sang "I'm not going to starve tonight" happily and kissed Evan on the cheek. There's also a wishing web run by the nymphs which I'd never seen before, and the fawn gives you a string that you tie to a web of yarn hung around a bunch of trees and make a wish. It's free, and the web is breathtaking. I also really enjoy looking around for secret things, like the tiny door on the outside wall of the castle in the kid's cove. The shops are really fun to browse, even when you can't afford most of it. I don't really have money, and I usually get something for about $20-40 there, and the stuff made there is quality. This year I bought a small oil lamp from a potter by the entrance, and she held the item til the end of the day so it wasn't broken or lost. I also found $1 arrowheads at Ivy Rose, and plan on making them into necklaces. I usually look at every shop and admire the work they put into it. If you ask me, the joust isn't really worth attending. If you can't tolerate smoke, that's an area to avoid. That's the designated smoking area, and most don't smoke anywhere else, but some people break the rules. Anyways, the joust is sort of boring, and you'd be better off browsing around the Faire while the people are away at the joust. The workers are usually very nice and friendly, and they poke fun at you sometimes, and the costumes are phenomenal. I enjoy people-watching at the Faire, seeing everyone enjoying themselves, and how the children's eyes are filled with wonder and joy, or sometimes people who don't have a good time. When in the car getting ready to leave the Faire, I saw a couple arguing, and the girl was yelling at the guy and saying she hated him. I felt bad, but it was interesting to listen to. All in all, I really love going to the Faire! It's an expirience I think everyone would enjoy if you're over a certain age. Perhaps 14 and up? Anyways, check it out! There are plenty of memories to have that you will not soon forget.

I had a horrible experience. The people are even worse. I was singled out of the crowd for having a stroller and searched for food. When asked why I had to take apart diaper bag I was told it was for safety. After that I had said I was not going to buy any thing from them with this kind of service and was told "buy your s&*t here or I will have you kicked out and trespassed". This from the "gate manager" as he called himself. I had two baby cups with water in it and was told to dump it., all the time this was going on a "friend" of the "gate manager" had come by started talking to him with McDonald (for himself) and said thanks for letting me in for free and then went and drank from a cup from McDonald's...when confronted about having to dump my babies water (ages 3 and 1) while his friend clearly had something not from the faire he again said buy food here or I will kick you out. While repacking my stroller in front of the crowd I saw that only those with kids and strollers were stopped and searched while adults with dunkin doughnuts and McDonald's and other outside food and drink (alcohol) were allowed in with out being even looked at. I am appalled and disgusted by how I was treated. I had a family member come and meet me there, she had come later in the day with her babies and the same happened to her while the couple in line behind her had drinks from dunkin doughnuts and drinking it in front of the gate manager was allowed in and was not told to dump it. I understand not wanting outside food because of food allergies and not wanting people with alcohol but to ONLY search people with kids and strollers is not right at all. Especially when there is nothing on their website or when you get there that say no outside food. I only saw signs that said no selling gift cards or tickets in parking lot.