Maryland Renaissance Festival
Fall festival · Maryland
A wooded fairground in Crownsville turns into a 16th century village every fall weekend, with jousting, jesters, and more than a hundred craft and food vendors under the trees. The 2026 run spans nineteen days between August 29 and October 25, weekends only, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., a short drive from both Annapolis and Baltimore.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Weekends only: Aug 29-30; Sep 5-7, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27; Oct 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: November 3–November 7
Color builds from October 21 · mostly bare by November 27
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Maryland Renaissance Festival’s own coordinates and elevation (38 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Maryland Renaissance Festival on the map
More things to do in Maryland
Swallow Falls State Park
State parkPeak October 15
Muddy Creek Falls, Maryland's highest free-falling waterfall, drops 53 feet through this 257-acre Garrett County park near Deep Creek Lake, reached by an easy loop trail through one of the state's few stands of old-growth hemlock and white pine.
Don’t miss: 53-ft Muddy Creek Falls · Old-growth hemlock and pine forest · Near Deep Creek Lake
Cunningham Falls State Park
State parkPeak October 29
Cunningham Falls tumbles 78 feet down a rock face in the Catoctin Mountains, the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland, reached by a short trail from the Houck day-use area of this roughly 6,000-acre park established in 1954 alongside the 43-acre Hunting Creek Lake.
Don’t miss: 78-ft Cunningham Falls · Catoctin Mountain fall color · Hunting Creek Lake
Butler's Orchard
OrchardColor nearby peaks November 2
Five generations of the Butler family have farmed this roughly 300-acre Germantown property since 1950; its Pumpkin Festival, running since 1980, fills fall weekends with pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides, and a corn maze.
Don’t miss: Pumpkin Festival since 1980 · Pick-your-own pumpkins · Hayrides and corn maze
Field of Screams Maryland
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 3
A multi-haunt scream park on Olney Laytonsville Road, north of the Capital Beltway, known for its Trail of Terror, Haunted Trail and Slaughter Factory haunted house. The park sat out the 2025 season for a full rebuild of its trail and says it will return in 2026.
Don’t miss: Trail of Terror and Haunted Trail · Slaughter Factory haunted house · Returning in 2026 after a full rebuild
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When is Maryland Renaissance Festival open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Aug 29 – Oct 25. Weekends only: Aug 29-30; Sep 5-7, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27; Oct 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Maryland Renaissance Festival peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 3–November 7 (best estimate November 5). Color starts around October 21 and is mostly bare by November 27.
- What is Maryland Renaissance Festival best for?
- A full-day costumed outing near Annapolis.
- How do I get to Maryland Renaissance Festival?
- The closest city is Baltimore, about 20 mi away. It's part of Maryland's fall lineup.
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