Cats, Knives, And Chaos: The Crazy New Addition Coming To The Ren Fest This Fall!

Posted on by Destination Food & Travel Creative Team
Cats, Knives, And Chaos: The Crazy New Addition Coming To The Ren Fest This Fall!

Head to Huntersville, North Carolina, for the 33rd Annual Carolina Renaissance Festival! Pack your bags for jousting tournaments, trained cat and rat stunt shows, and falconry displays. Loosen your belt for giant turkey legs, artisan treats, and medieval feats across eight weekends from October 3 through November 22 today!

Key Takeaways

  • The 33rd Annual Season: The Carolina Renaissance Festival returns to Huntersville, NC, running for eight consecutive weekends from October 3 through November 22, 2026 (9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, rain or shine).
  • New & Special Guest Variety Acts: Features season-long act Cirque Du Sewer! (stunts with trained cats and rats) alongside rotating limited-run acts including Blades & Bravery! (knife throwing), Gabs the Fool! (visual comedy), Tiny Girl! Big Show! (acrobatics), and The Lynx Show! (magic & sword swallowing).
  • Classic Village Entertainment: Festivalgoers can enjoy three daily armored jousting tournaments, live falconry demonstrations, costumed interactive street characters, and a sprawling artisan marketplace.
  • Online Ticketing Details: Tickets go on sale July 1st online only (carolina.renfestinfo.com) at $36 for adults and $22 for children ages 5–12 (kids 4 and under are free). Daily ticket quantities are limited.
  • Visitor Amenities: Free parking is included with admission, making it a seamless, immersive day-trip experience for families and period-culture enthusiasts across the Charlotte region.

Huntersville, NC
September, 2026

The 33rd annual Carolina Renaissance Festival returns to Huntersville, NC, running eight consecutive weekends from October 3 through November 22. Alongside beloved classics like three-daily jousting tournaments, falconry, interactive characters, and a vibrant artisan marketplace, the 2026 season highlights a thrilling roster of new and returning guest variety acts.

Season-long feature Cirque Du Sewer! delivers a unique spectacle of stunts performed by trained cats, trained rats, and semi-trained humans. Blades & Bravery! (Oct. 3–4, 10–11) brings high-energy knife throwing and the Spinning Wheel of Destiny. Gabs the Fool! (Oct. 17–18, 24–25) offers family-friendly visual comedy, physical theater, and circus arts. Returning fan-favorites include Tiny Girl! Big Show! (Oct. 31–Nov. 1, Nov. 7–8) with acrobatics and contortion, alongside The Lynx Show! (Nov. 14–15, 21–22) featuring magic and sword swallowing.

The festival operates weekends from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, rain or shine. Tickets go on sale July 1st online only at carolina.renfestinfo.com, priced at $36 for adults and $22 for children ages 5–12, with ages 4 and under free. Daily ticket supplies are limited, and parking is free.

fhe 33rd Carolina Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace. North of Charlotte between Concord and Huntersville. The Festival is located on Highway 73 at Poplar Tent Road (between I-77 and I-85). Carolina.RenFestInfo.com or call (704) 896-5555.

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Destination Food & Travel Creative Team
Think of us as your digital tour guides with a serious design addiction. At Destination Food & Travel, our creative team has spent over 40 years mastering the art of the “wish you were here” feeling. We’ve traded city traffic for scenic routes and cubicles for wide-open spaces, all to prove that the best stories aren’t found on a screen—they’re found down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. We’ve gotten so good at making rural look radical that we were even named an Adobe Success Story. Apparently, our layout and design techniques are officially “the gold standard,” but we just like to think of it as making sure the local hidden gems get the spotlight they deserve. Whether it’s a tiny mountain town or a coastal secret, we use our four decades of design magic to make sure you’re inspired to pack a bag, grab your keys, and go find some fresh air. Making Rural Cool since 2011.