Huzzah!! Our Yearly Trip to the MI Ren Fest

Every year, we make our way to the Michigan Renaissance Festival, and it has become one of those family traditions that we look forward to all year long. There’s just something about getting dressed up, wandering around the festival, and pretending we’ve stepped into another time for the day.

One of the best parts is just walking around and seeing everything there is to see. There are so many vendors and shops, and you can spend hours looking at all the unique things they have. From handmade items and costumes to jewelry, decorations, and things you never knew you needed until you saw them, there’s always something that catches your eye.

The vendors themselves are a huge part of the fun. They’re friendly, funny, and really get into character. You never quite know what kind of interaction you’re going to have when you walk up to a booth, and some of the conversations are just as entertaining as the shopping!

Then there are the pickle carts. If you know, you know. 😂 Somehow, walking around the Renaissance Festival eating a giant pickle just makes perfect sense. It has become one of those little things we look forward to every year.  They also have many other vegan and gluten free options. 

And, of course, you can’t forget the turkey legs! There are plenty of food options throughout the festival, but walking around with a giant turkey leg feels like part of the required Renaissance experience.

The jousting is always something we make sure to see, and this year there was an especially adorable moment. One of the knights and his horse were wearing matching hats! I mean, come on. A knight and his horse coordinating their outfits? It was ridiculously cute and definitely one of those little moments that made us smile.

The only downside for us is the parking. It can be a little bit of a mess, especially when the festival is busy, so be prepared to spend some extra time getting in and out. But once you’re through the parking lot and inside, it’s easy to forget about that part.

We love that the festival is family-friendly and that there’s something for everyone. For our family, getting dressed up is half the fun. We get to spend the day together, wander around, laugh with the vendors, eat turkey legs and pickles, watch the jousting, shop, and just enjoy being together.

The Michigan Renaissance Festival has definitely become an annual tradition for us. Every year we say we’re going to see everything, and every year we leave realizing there’s still more we didn’t get to. I guess that just gives us another reason to come back.

So until next year—time to start thinking about costumes, because apparently we have a reputation to maintain. 😉