Recently, we took our toddler and preschooler to their first Renaissance Faire – and my husband and I could not believe how kid-friendly it was!
I always thought the Connecticut Renaissance Faire as a fun date night activity, but it turns out there is just as much (possibly more?) things for kids to do as there are for adults.
It goes beyond the activities- though those were cool too- and more into the overall “vibe” of the faire: just about every single person who my daughter interacted with got down on her level and went wildly out of their way to make her feel special.
They gave her roses, trinkets, special treats, addressed her as “Your Highness,” allowed her to pet their animals. My kids were both shy when we arrived, but left feeling like superstars.
The Logistics:
- Parking: Plenty of free parking- and it was super easy to get in and out of the spot. Bring spare change/cash because different groups take turns running the parking spots and they’re all very worthwhile causes.
- Cash Needed? Bring cash if you want to buy something- some vendors do take credit cards, but not all do. There is an ATM available on site if needed.
- Strollers/Wheelchairs: Definitely a Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly Location- we brought our umbrella stroller and it worked perfectly. There are some big hills, but there are easy routes around them.
- Outside Food Allowed? Absolutely- food and non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in. We brought lots of snacks for our kids to avoid the mid-day Hanger.
- Nursing Room: They have a private nursing/pumping tent. Located in the marketplace.
- Calm Down/Sensory Friendly Room: If you have a child who needs to step away for a sensory break, there’s a wonderful room for that as well. It’s located in the marketplace.
- Dog Friendly? Yup! We did not bring our dog, but we did have a very fun time running around and looking at all the dogs.
- Bathroom Situation: Multiple different types of bathrooms with kid friendly access.
- Water Bottle Refilling? There are places to refill water bottles around the fairgrounds
- What if I forget something? You are allowed to come and go as needed. This is excellent if you accidentally forget your child’s diapers in the car.
Favorite Kid Friendly Activities:
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite activities throughout the Faire. Your results may vary, but these were the winners for our group and are well worth checking out.
Character Meet and Greets:
This took me COMPLETELY by surprise. My kids wore their favorite Princess costumes, and literally everyone we ran into addressed them in character. Pirates gave them gold, the royal court offered advice for princesses, and the court jester convinced her that she was made of magic.
One of the highlights was the Knighting Ceremony, which is where the King and Queen of the Faire honor brave knights, and you can get some great pictures with your child.
Dig for Treasure or Mine for Gold:
If you have kids who are into sensory bin or sandboxes, this is an incredible exhibit. Kids will love using tools to dig through sand and find special coins, gems, and rocks. (Additional Fee- $10)
Test out your Swordfighting, Axe Throwing, or Archery Skills
Head to the encampment to learn swordfighting skills with professionals and face off against trained professionals in a fun and interactive swordplay competition at “Smite the Knight.” If you’re more into flying objects, try out archery, knife, or axe throwing. (Additional Fee for Some Activities)
See the Animals:
Dragonfire Farmstead brings baby goats, bunnies, and chickens- and they welcome kids to come and snuggle with them. If my preschooler had her way, she might have spent the entire Faire with the baby goats. They came right up and snuggled with her. Snuggling with the animals is free, or you can give a donation to feed them.
Other animal favorites included petting the jousting horses and seeing lots of dogs walking around the Faire (it’s dog friendly!)
Make your own Art, Get your Hair Braided, or enjoy Face Painting:
Ok, so I had fully planned to skip all this, but the skill these artists displayed was INCREDIBLE. Face Painting is done by Face Candy Jenna, which might sound familiar because she has like 2.5 million followers on TikTok.
Add in Princess Braids, and some adorable children’s activities at the Art Child LLC, and there is no shortage of ways to embrace your child’s creative spirit. (Additional fees may apply)
Enjoy an Extra Special Treat
My kids’ absolute favorite stand was the Soda Stand, which featured Witches Brew (lemonade with dry ice that makes it boil and steam in a super cool way) and Wizard Whip, which is the whipped cream version of Pop Rocks.
Other tasty spots were the Pickle Place and Polish Paradise- where they were so kind and went out of their way to give our kids a sweet treat.
Please note that things sometimes change, so definitely check the CT Faire page before you head out!
Also, the CT Faire gave us tickets to give away, but did not sponsor this post and all opinions are always our own 🙂
