Bay Area Renaissance Festival - Dade City, Florida

Paul S

Love the Ren Faire

Mel W

This was a really cool event. They had a lot of fun activities. We loved the ratman. He was so funny. And the Gay pirate, along with so many other fun acts.
But here's where it goes bad and they lost the stars from me, the food...oh the food is a disaster. It's not bad food, but the way it was designed is asinine. You have to pay very close attention. It ended up taking us close to two hours for lunch. By the time we got it, we were all bickering from hanger.
So, each line is individually listed. You can't just go to the tent and order wherever. Some lines take the card, and some don't. You have to ask, which is hard when the lines are so long. We stood in line for 45 minutes for a spicy chicken wrap. We get up there, and she says nope only hamburgers in this line try again. She made us go to the back of the line 2 rows over. So our husbands went ahead and got into the spicey chicken line while we went to find poutine where she said it was, because it was supposed to be there according to the map. So after 30 minutes of searching for poutine, (the map was wrong on the food choices) we gave up. So we walk all the way to the other side to stand in line, but this location has no poutine either. Frustrated and hungry, we stand in line to order a quesidilla, and we finally get to the front to be told no credit cards at this one but the street corn person right next to them had a credit card machine. So we walked back across the festival to check in with our husbands still in line at this point to get that spicy chicken wrap. He ordered 3 wraps, but they only had 2 left. Of course.... this is the way. By this time, I thought for sure my hubby might lose it, but we made it work and split them. This almost ruined the whole experience for us. Finally, when we were walking to the front. Boom in the front corner last place we walked to...the poutine. This time, we knew to have cash ready and stand in the correct line. There are no warnings or signs on how to order food, and I saw so many upset people over it. No eating areas or tables either. So if they fix this situation, then definitely 5 stars.

YayIts K

So it was my first time going and initially I thought it was going to be boring but once I got there I was like WOOOHH!!! This is super cool I had so much fun I love the fact that they had so many different vendors and so many different activities that you can literally spend all day there unfortunately I only went for two hours and I definitely will be going back next year before at least the whole day or half the day! I loved how friendly all the vendors were and the shows that were performed were spectacular!
I do wish that there was more food options as well but I’m just really glad they had beers everywhere and a good amount of variety as well from bar to bar vendors.
I definitely want to be dressing up for next year and it was such a blast.
I wish that there were more bathrooms but nonetheless it was a great event.
What I appreciated mostly was that the fact that this was such a different event that for a second I felt like I was outside of Tampa and it was a great family friendly event where even the adults got to enjoy as much as the kids.

Cloud

It would be 5 stars if I had never been to a different Ren fair. But the location needs money put into it to put it up to the minimum standard. The roads to get to this place will damage your car. The parking is not too organized, the pathways throughout the fair have not been treated for human travel, which means everything and I mean everything will have black dust caked on because of everyone kicking up dust everywhere. You will also be coughing up said dust for a couple of days. They are still using porter potties in 2023. A lot of the toilets were not even on level ground. A lot were slanted or crooked.
I find that most of the ailments of this fair is with the management and not the staff. The staff is amazing and do great shows. Very nice people with a talent of just being cool.
I am the last of my friends that still come to the fair. It saddens me. But I am still holding out that the management group of this place does the right thing and invest in the infrastructure of the property and roads.

Erin Stapleton

The good first, the bad at the bottom

The Bay area Renaissance festival is a must for any enthusiast. With a large participation for their theme days, you and your family will see many people dressed appropriately for the Ren Fair.

It provides a great deal of food options. It seems that they all are on the periphery and far apart from one another. It would be nice if they were more centrally located so you could choose the best option for your family..... And not walk so far.
I have to say I had some of the best Wood-Fired pizza I've ever had at this fair. Also, does it this fair where Pepsi branded. That is unfortunate. I hope they consider another purveyor 😉 nudge nudge. All drinks were $4 each.

Again to touch on it, this is a large area. They have everything spread out far and wide. So if you have little ones or maybe be fair-skinned yourself... You need sunscreen! The trees are not close enough together to keep you out of the sun. Unless you're hanging out at the venues for food or watching a show. It would behoove them to plant some trees for years down the way so you could have corridors of shade like at some of the other Ren faires we've been to.

My biggest complaint....
- There was no MAP!!! -
Maybe there's one online, I tried to find it.

However, they hand you a piece of paper with all the times of everything and on that paper they COULD HAVE placed a small map telling you where the particular stages were located...
But alas NO they do not want to give you that information. They hold it dear to their hearts like it's an earth-shattering secret that will bring down the monarchy (at least the King of the fair).

This is a big letdown. A struggle for families to go from one show to the next. That's what they're there for... They're there to for the entertainment. It's unfair not to have a map readily available for these families. I know as a patron, I would have loved to have one.

So if anyone that works for the fair reads this....

Put the MAP OF THE STAGES on the bloody flyer that you hand out to each person!!

Takeya Trayer

Always lots to do and to see! It gets pretty hot and pretty dusty so bring shade and bring water!
I love all the artisanal tents with quality hand made garb, props, cos play, leather, jewelry, foods, instruments, armor and more!
Love to see more covered areas to eat/relax!

Messyman16

Such a cool place, love renaissance festivals and this one was great. Large area with all types of stands and entertainment. My only disappointment was that there wasn't a stand that sold juggling supplies but they have all other types of wares to look at. I would recommend coming but don't sit in the front row of the Mud Show if you dont want to get splashed like I did, which i knew and enjoyed.

Bruce L

Always a great time. The shows are fun. The food is good. The games are enjoyable. The characters/ staff are amazing! And the people that are attend are great and just as entertaining.