Texas Renaissance Festival 2026: Dates, Theme Weekends and Tips for Your Visit

Every fall, a pine forest between Plantersville and Magnolia turns into a 16th-century village. The Texas Renaissance Festival is open now for its 52nd season, and you still have five weekends left to go: Saturdays and Sundays through November 29, 2026, plus Thanksgiving Friday (November 27).

Whether you're going for the turkey legs, the jousting or the fireworks, here's what to know before you head out.

2026 festival basics

• When: Saturdays and Sundays, October 10 to November 29, 2026, plus Thanksgiving Friday (November 27)
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gates stop admitting guests at 7 p.m.
• Where: 21778 FM 1774, Todd Mission, TX 77363, in Grimes County between Plantersville and Magnolia, about 50 miles northwest of downtown Houston
• Tickets: Date-specific and sold only online at texrenfest.com or at the festival gates. Prices vary by date, age and ticket type.
• Kids: Children 4 and under are free every day. Kids 5 to 12 are free on Sundays and half price on Saturdays and Thanksgiving Friday.
• Discounts: Available for military members, veterans, first responders and other eligible workers with ID.
• Weather: The festival runs rain or shine.

Theme weekends still ahead

Each weekend has its own theme, with matching costumes, contests and entertainment:

• October 31 to November 1: All Hallows Eve
• November 7 to 8: Heroes and Villains
• November 14 to 15: Barbarian Invasion
• November 21 to 22: Highland Fling
• November 27 to 29: Celtic Christmas (includes Thanksgiving Friday)

What's new this year

Along with the jousting, stage shows, food, shops and nightly Royal Fireworks, the 2026 season adds new performers and attractions, including the Sons of Olympus aerial and acrobatic shows, a wandering jester, and Slayer's Castle, an exhibit of movie props and memorabilia. Several new artisan merchants have joined the village too. Check the festival's entertainment schedule online to plan your day around the shows you want to see.

Tips for a better festival day

• Arrive early. Traffic on FM 1774 is heaviest from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and leaving between 6 and 8 p.m. can be slow too.
• Follow the posted signs. Navigation apps sometimes route drivers onto private or residential roads near the festival. Follow traffic signs and officers' directions.
• Buy tickets from the official site. Tickets are date-specific, so double-check your date before you buy.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The grounds are large, with lots of walking on dirt and gravel paths.
• Stay for the fireworks. The day wraps up with the Royal Fireworks show.
• Costumes are optional, but theme weekends are the most fun time to dress up.

Getting there from Central Texas

From Bryan–College Station, the festival is roughly an hour's drive southeast through Navasota. From Austin, plan on about two and a half hours or more, depending on traffic. Many Austin-area families make a weekend of it and stay near Lake Conroe, Navasota or Montgomery.

Love the countryside out there?

The drive to the festival takes you through some of the prettiest country in the Brazos Valley: rolling pastures, pine and oak woods, and small towns like Plantersville, Navasota and Anderson. If you find yourself wondering what it would be like to live out there, you're not alone. Buyers come to Grimes County and the surrounding area for acreage, room for animals, and a slower pace that's still within reach of Houston and College Station.

• Read about the area in Why Is It Called the Brazos Valley?
• Explore living in Navasota, TX and Bryan–College Station
• Thinking about land? See Homesteading & Country Living in Texas and our guide to construction loans for land and a new home

Have fun at the festival! And when you're ready to talk about buying or selling in Central Texas or the Brazos Valley, book a time with me or call or text Trina at (512) 629-9050.

Festival details are from the Texas Renaissance Festival and can change. Please confirm dates, hours, tickets and policies at texrenfest.com before you go.