Northern California Renaissance Faire - Hollister, California

Nico B.

My partner our friends, and I have been going here since 2016. We go every year and it is one of the most fun things I do in my life. Most people fully dress up and we've been adding to our costume since we began going. Always pay attention to the heat and be prepared for the large number of cars leaving at the end. It is always more fun to go in costume as you feel even more a part of the experience. See the joust, join the activities, watch the plays, and enjoy the food and drinks. I guarantee you'll have fun and think you're in a fantasy land.

J

Hear ye, hear ye, good folk! Lend thine ears to this tale of merriment and revelry at the Northern California Renaissance Faire!

'Twas a fine weekend, with the sun's warmth not too oppressive at a mere 80 degrees. Yet be warned, for even on such days, the fairgrounds can grow warm, dusty, and parched.

The merchants and players were a jolly lot, greeting all with smiles and cheer. However, one must note that the victuals, while passable, did strain the purse strings. A princely sum of $20 for a turkey leg, salty as the sea and dripping with grease! And $15 for a refillable chalice, which proved the wisest investment for quenching one's thirst, as water was scarce save for costly single-use bottles.

Be prepared to wait in lengthy queues for refreshment, as many a thirsty soul sought to fill their cups. Yet patience is a virtue, and one's time is well spent observing the merry throngs.

The entertainments were a delight to behold! From the mirthful antics of the Broon’s Comedy Show to the dashing Manly Men in Tights, laughter rang through the air. The noble steeds of the Equine Guild and the thrilling joust kept all in attendance spellbound.

A word of caution to future revelers: arm thyself with sunscreen and steel thy lungs for the occasional cloud of dust in crowded areas.

In sum, this faire earns four stars out of five - a most enjoyable frolic through history, with but a few modern inconveniences to weather. God save the Queen, and may your next visit be filled with wonder!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Rae K. (.

Had a blast! Lots of cool vendors to see! Didn't stick around too much for the shows. But everyone seemed like they were having a great time! I was too busy to really notice with all the cool outfits and products for sale. Definitely a fantasy lover's paradise! The turkey legs *are* worth the $20.00 each. One can easily feed two adults. Just as a heads up, they're massive and delicious!

Would have had more photos to share if I wasn't too enamored with the place to remember to take some XD

Kristina M.

Good:
-Parking lot well organized
-Bathrooms were clean
-lines weren't heinous
-Decent amount of atms
-Lots of cool stores to check out
-Appreciated the information desk
-Costumes were amazing
-Signs were hilarious
-EMTs were on it with people suffering heat exhaustion
Meh:
-Majority of kid friendly things explicitly only took venmo or cash. Not card at all
-Walking around to see shops was a bit annoying. instead of people staying to the right, everybody was zigzagging
-The shows
Bad:
-Not enough shade
-Didn't have free water refill stations if you brought your own reusable bottle (that I found. I circled a few times) Only saw cheap plastic bottles of water being resold for $4 a bottle. You can get a case at the grocery store for that price or less
*My son and I started to get overheated pretty quickly as a result (we had our own water and chugged through it fast then had to find an ATM to get cash to buy more water and my son started overheating)
-Stuff was super overpriced
-1 Beer was like $13

Overall for the price of the tickets I thought there'd be more free stuff to see(maybe I walked past it by accident because I was hot and exhausted trying to make sure my kid was ok). Seemed like they made it free for kids to come in so they could charge you at every kid friendly exhibit instead which probably cost more than buying a ticket once you did the math. The theme wasn't as noticable as I expected/hoped for (went for Oktoberfest.) It was a well oiled machine for crowds and getting money but the experience aspect was just ok... The lack of shade and water definitely needs to be handled. Great way to have guests suffer from heat exhaustion and leave early. I also saw performers, attraction handlers and shop owners sweating severely in the heat with little shade unless they had a tent but the tents also felt like mini ovens. It was honestly borderline dangerous to be in a full on costume. Having a stroller in the park was great in that heat and chaos of crowds. Shop owners were very helpful and friendly. My son loved the mayflower pole ride. He also was a fan of the turkey legs. The petting zoo, mayflower pole ride, and Pendragon costumes people were lovely and fun to chat with.

Michael B.

Love the NoeCal Ren Faire! We've ended up going several years in a row now, but it has been super hot each time, so plan accordingly. Good selection of food and drinks, but they're not cheap. Plan on paying major sporting event prices for them when you go. If you get a chance, check out the Broon show if he's there!

c L. A. R. I. S. S. A.

Great experience overall. The directions on the main road were confusing as we were told to go into the wrong lane, but we made it eventually! Super dusty so be prepared! Also, if you take in your reusable water bottle, most food and drink stands will refill it for you.

Arthur K.

You either like this kind of fair or you don't, so there is no use to give grades to the content. However, the whole thing is full of expensive attractions that are basically taking all your money for not much. A swing for 9 bucks? I felt totally ripped off.
So if you can come and enjoy the content without wasting your money easily then go ahead. But if you have kids that will want to do everything then you will get out with a feeling of being robbed.

Angelica G. (.

With themed weekends, my family has a chance to reinvent ourselves every year.
During the 20-year anniversary, we went as a woodland clan.. warriors, huntsmen, forest witches.
✨️💚HUZZAH💚✨️