Central Missouri Renaissance Festival

“Most enjoyable mayhem and merriment.”

2024 Season

April 27th & 28th, May 4th & 5th, Oct 19th & 20th

Saturday & Sunday, 10am - 6:00pm, Rain or Shine

A truly fun festival!

The Central Missouri Renaissance Festival is a joy to attend. It’s a great place to perform as well. Small enough to have a true community feel, Central MO doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s easy to see that everyone is having a great time. As a more established festival, CMRF (Central MO RenFest) has a mixture of permanent stages and permanent structures with temporary vendor tents.

Realm

Experience the 1550 A.D. village of Carlingford, Ireland filled with artisans, musicians, pirates, and more. The Cast and Royal court are a hoot. They bring a ton of joy to the festival.

5 stages provide exciting entertainment: music, comedy, family friendly shows, and more bawdy ones. There are several food options including tasty baked goods and sometimes a pasty (hand-held British pot pie) food truck. There are many exciting vendors to tempt you if you have the shopping bug or need to buy some holiday presents.

Schedule

Central MO RenFest is held one weekend in the fall when it has cooled down around the 8th weekend after labor day (after the Kansas City Renaissance Festival is done). There are also 2 weekends in the Spring, often the last weekend in April and the first in May. Confirm dates on their website or social media. These dates provide an opportunity to wear the fun cloaks, armor, and layers that are less practical at summer Renaissance Festivals.

Tickets and Festival Hours

The gate opens at 10am and the closing ceremony is at 6pm.
Confirm current pricing online. At the time of writing: Festival tickets are a great deal at $15.00 at the gate for adults, children from age 6 to 12 are $10.00, and children 5 and below are admitted free. Season pass: $78.

For those 21+ “Shots Fired with the Queen” Tickets at $30, include festival admission and a very bawdy drinking event with the Queen, including a shot glass. Make sure to bring a designated driver or stay at the faire long enough to recover. Be safe!
Sometimes specials are available: past deals have included discounted tickets available if you bring non-perishable food items for the Fulton United Methodist Food Pantry or Military/EMS/State of Missouri Employee discount.
You can buy your tickets in advance and print them out or purchase at the door.

Tips

Explore the Forest including a Children’s Area

Bring cash. As of now, there are NO ATMS. It’s only proper to tip performers at least a dollar when you watch their shows (more is always welcome). While you can buy some things with credit cards at shops, cash is easier for smaller vendors and is accepted everywhere.
Dress up to maximize the fun! It’s not required, but I love to dress up. If you don’t have an outfit, you’ll be able to buy one there. Renaissance Festivals are typically rain or shine, so dress for the weather. You may want to take into consideration using a porta-privy when planning your outfit.
Be sure to check out the schedule of events for show times. In my obviously biased opinion, be sure to see me as the Renaissance Nurse in The Medieval Medicine Show. Plan your shopping and eating around what you want to see. Eating during less peak times will mean shorter lines and more time for fun.
Dogs are allowed if certain guidelines are followed (see website).
Prepare to spend a joyful day walking outside: comfortable shoes, layers, sunscreen, definitely bug spray, and maybe even a parasol are in order.
Stay hydrated! I like to bring a mug with a special belt clip to really get into the spirit (you can buy these onsite). You will need to purchase drinks as running drinking water is not available.
Consider bringing sanitizer and wet wipes although there are handwashing stations.
The faire is set in open grassy fields and a delightful forest. The terrain can be a little uneven. I found I had some seasonal allergies related to the forest area, so you may want to bring allergy medicine.
Bug repellant, especially for ticks, is also wise. Do a tick check when you are done for the day.
Bring a reusable bag for your shopping finds.
You can have a great time on your own, but it’s even more fun with friends or family.
Use this great opportunity to buy unique gifts and treat yourself.
Consider supporting a music group and get some music for the ride home buy CD after a show or from an official download site, like Bandcamp.
Stick around at the end of the day for a pub sing and closing ceremony.

Location

4274 County Rd 220, Kingdom City, Missouri 65262

Kingdom City is under 2.5 hours east from Kansas City, less than 30 minutes east of Columbia and less than 2 hours west from St. Louis.

I-70, 144/Hatton Exit, South just under 2 miles to the Fairgrounds.

Complimentary parking is located around the festival and is mostly on grass. As with all festivals, be prepared to walk a distance from where you park. Also be prepared for mud if the weather is wet.

I have made the trip from KC as a daytrip several times, but if you can make it work, stay over at a local hotel and make a weekend of it.