Bay Area Renaissance Festival

The Bay Area Renaissance Festival features fun and entertainment for the whole family. It is by far the best themed fair or festival I have attended.

Discover an enchanted realm of wizards and warriors amongst gourmet treats and unforgettable entertainment. Wander past TEN lively STAGES and street theater featuring jugglers, magicians, fire eaters and specialty acts. Check out LIVE ARMORED CONTACT JOUSTING three times daily, HUMAN CHESS MATCHES, minstrels, maidens faire, peasants, fools, and Royalty.

The Bay Area Renaissance Festival moved several years ago from Largo to Tampa and is now located next to the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) at 11315 46th Avenue near the intersection with Fowler. Parking is plentiful and free in the adjacent field and the festival has several workers there to ensure drivers know where to park. The festival is currently in its 29th year so I would expect that, despite some concerns a few years ago, it is here to stay.

The first thing that struck me when we entered the festival grounds was how large and well designed this event is. The last renaissance festival I went to was in Massachusetts over a decade ago. It was OK, but seemed kind of thrown together and very temporary. In contrast the Bay Area Festival is very well constructed and seems to be an almost permanent fixture at this location. Certainly none of the buildings are going to convince someone that they stepped out of the 21st century and back into 1540’s London. But it is easy to get into the spirit of the festival immediately upon walking through the gates. It was extremely well done.

Games

I’ve never been a fan of carnival games, knowing that like Lost Wages Nevada slot machines they are rigged for the house advantage. The games at the festival were somewhat more intriguing in that many had an ‘olde timey’ feel to them. But just like at the carnival you can go through a good sum of money fairly quickly. Most games are between one to three dollars per go. With some giving more tries per go than others. I had the most fun watching a variation of the dunking booth where instead of dunking the guy in the box the participants threw tomatoes, in varying states of decay, at a guy in a pirates outfit whose head, arms, and legs were exposed from a box in which he sat. The guy in the box was absolutely hilarious as he taunted the participants throwing the tomatoes.

Rides

The festival features a number of human powered rides as well as animal rides. There are a couple huge wooden swings that spin for a bit of thrill ride experience, a bungee trampoline that my wife and five year old loved, camel rides, elephant rides, and a pony ride among a few other attractions. All of the rides, with the exception of the rock climbing wall and the bungee trampoline, are made from wood and designed to be similar to amusements that might have been around 100 or more years ago. The ride attendants are all costumed and keep in character which adds to the fun.

Like the entertainers, I recognized several rides from the Pirates Festival so these too must tour. My son had not enjoyed his ride in a giant wooden swan shaped swing at the Pirate Festival and decided against a repeat this time. One ride he did like was a rotating swing designed for younger children that spins them around in a big circle. The animal rides were also a hit, although each ride is a rather brief 'once around' a small clearing.

The ride prices are fairly cheap individually but can add up quickly. Most rides were between $2 to $5 per person. Given that my son went on several as did my wife we probably spent at least $60 on rides.

Food

Throughout the festival grounds there are several stands selling food and beverages. Beer and wine are available, as are juices and soft drinks. There are individual booths selling snacks like kettle corn and then larger stands that have hamburgers, wraps, and the ubiquitous renaissance festival food, roast turkey legs. One of the more interesting stands was a coffee and pastry shop that had some very tempting pastries and from what my wife said very good coffee.

Note: Call ahead for hours of operation and admission
fee/charge.

Maps and Directions  
Florida Tampa Bay Area Cities-Directory    
Tampa Bay Museums Directory 
Florida Tampa Bay Area Festival Directory
Public Transportation