Red Lodge, Montana – The Montana Renaissance Festival in Red Lodge, MT, began its journey in 2012 and is held each year for a weekend in June near the stunning Beartooth Mountains. It was founded by Ken Haak at ZooMontana in Billings. Haak, who had experience performing as an ogre at similar faires in Texas and New York, launched this event.
It quickly grew into one of Montana’s top five tourist spots. As the festival expanded, it moved from the zoo, especially around the time of the COVID pandemic. The Red Lodge Chamber and Home of Champions Rodeo extended an invitation to relocate, which the organizers accepted.
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Since its inception, the Montana Renaissance Festival in Red Lodge, MT, has stood out as one of the state’s select Renaissance-themed events. Visitors are transported to 16th-century Europe, where they can meet royalty like King Jayme and Queen Abbey, valiant knights, and a variety of historical reenactors. The event is a portal to a magical realm populated by fairies, wizards, storytellers, and musicians.
A key feature of the Montana Renaissance Festival is its lively marketplace. Here, guests can interact with characters of the era, including nobles and merchants, and peruse a range of extraordinary goods. The entertainment roster is packed with exciting activities such as armored jousting, horseback riding displays, and performances by groups like Alterna Cirque, 3 Guys and a Bunch of Drums, the Zoupa de Zonia comedy team, Renaissance man Robyn Plaeyer, and acts involving falconry and belly dancing.
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The festival also showcases enchanting acts by Sir James the Magnificent, Madame Azira, and Lord and Alden Blackhand, featuring classic magic tricks, mind-reading, life predictions, and daring acts. In addition, there’s a rich mix of poetry and music. The Montana Renaissance Festival collaborates with The Washington Shakespearean Festival. Its schedule runs from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm on Saturdays and from 10 am to 3:30 pm on Sundays.
