Maryland Renaissance Festival - worth it?

[Anonymous]

I visited the Maryland Renn Fest once, two years ago. It was so massively overcrowded that it just wasn't fun - at all. Lines too long for food. Overcrowding at the performances. Hardly any room to walk.

I love the idea of the festival, but if it's always like that, I won't try again.

Have others had different, more positive experiences?

[Anonymous]

Go early in the season and also show up at opening. Only way I do it and it’s hot but enjoyable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go early in the season and also show up at opening. Only way I do it and it’s hot but enjoyable.

I agree with this. We have a little kid so we are there first thing (since we've already been up for hours...) and we enjoy it. But I agree that it's generally overcrowded. I distinctly remember saying to my husband last year that I thought I would like it better if they charged twice as much but let in half as many people.

[Anonymous]

The past couple years I have not had as good as a time. It is way more crowded and you have to get your tickets weeks/months in advance. It didn't used to be that way. The amount of people who seem to be there to just day drink in costumes seems to be increasing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The past couple years I have not had as good as a time. It is way more crowded and you have to get your tickets weeks/months in advance. It didn't used to be that way. The amount of people who seem to be there to just day drink in costumes seems to be increasing.

Social media has ruined so many things.

[Anonymous]

Way too crowded for us the past couple of times we went. We probably won’t go this year.

[Anonymous]

It's gotten too big for sure even with ticket limitations. We still go. With kids, early in the season and show up at opening and leave at 2.
I always hope for drizzle on the days we go as it keeps some crowds away.
Season, 4 and 7 day passes are already sold out.

[Anonymous]

It has unfortunately gotten way too crowded and popular. The multi-day passes apparently had tens of thousands of people trying to buy this week and most were unable to get tickets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The past couple years I have not had as good as a time. It is way more crowded and you have to get your tickets weeks/months in advance. It didn't used to be that way. The amount of people who seem to be there to just day drink in costumes seems to be increasing.

Social media has ruined so many things.

Pretty much. I spent my HS and college years going and it was lovely.

[Anonymous]

It has been too crowded. I started taking my kids when they very little and we used to go every year after and they are older teenagers now. We didn’t go in years of Covid and after though and tried going back last year and it was just crazy crowded and now you have to buy tickets so early to get a weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go early in the season and also show up at opening. Only way I do it and it’s hot but enjoyable.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has unfortunately gotten way too crowded and popular. The multi-day passes apparently had tens of thousands of people trying to buy this week and most were unable to get tickets.

Why would anyone need a multi day pass to the ren faire?

I know, people who cosplay.

But otherwise, that is really a 1 day event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has unfortunately gotten way too crowded and popular. The multi-day passes apparently had tens of thousands of people trying to buy this week and most were unable to get tickets.

Why would anyone need a multi day pass to the ren faire?

I know, people who cosplay.

But otherwise, that is really a 1 day event.

Honestly I was hoping to get it as an insurance policy. My MIL loves the Ren Fair but has terminal cancer so we can't predict her good days. So if we got a multi day pass we could go last minute or go for a short time over a number of days. But it didn't work out, we had four people trying to get tickets and we all failed.

[Anonymous]

heck yes. There are furries and fairies and people dressed up in velvet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I visited the Maryland Renn Fest once, two years ago. It was so massively overcrowded that it just wasn't fun - at all. Lines too long for food. Overcrowding at the performances. Hardly any room to walk.

I love the idea of the festival, but if it's always like that, I won't try again.

Have others had different, more positive experiences?

There are several food and beverage areas. If one is crowded, move to another.