Northern California Renaissance Faire
- Dates
- Sep 19 to Oct 25, 2026
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Casa de Fruta (10031 Pacheco Pass Hwy 152, Gate 6, Hollister, CA 95023)
- Price
- $42
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 24, 2026
The experience
What's special
The Northern California Renaissance Faire builds the Elizabethan village of Willingtown in the orchard grounds of Casa de Fruta on Pacheco Pass, with a royal joust, guild encampments, multiple stages of nonstop entertainment, and an artisan marketplace. The 2026 season leans interactive: a faire-wide Great Grimoire quest, a new Murder Most Faire mystery game, and Dungeons & Shakespeare, where audience choices and giant dice decide how Shakespeare's characters fare against D&D monsters. The cast ranges from long-running favorites like the swashbuckling Manly Men in Tights and nautical stalwarts The Sea Dogs to a bawdy 21+ Dockside Alley stage, and every one of the six weekends carries a theme, from a Pirate Invasion to double Cottagecore weekends and a Halloween finale. Admission is fee-inclusive, kids 12 and under are free all season, and same-day re-entry is allowed.
What people love
Attendees praise the show roster - well-done, talented performances from the jousting tournament to Dirty Laundry and the Mermaids - alongside quality vendors, good fair food, and a natural orchard setting walled off from the outside world; for many locals it is the home faire that made them love faires. The consistent cautions: the site is hot and extremely dusty with soil pathways, arrival traffic backs up so early arrival or preferred parking pays off, and heavy costumes are hard work in the September heat.
Last time around
The 2025 season ran weekends from September 13 through October 19 at Casa de Fruta in Hollister.
See it before you go
See the grounds
Themed weekends
Open Saturdays and Sundays for six weekends, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, rain or shine
On the lanes & stages
Set in the Renaissance period. Event style: faire.
Lineup
Costumes & what to wear
Do I need a costume?
No costume needed, and plenty of visitors come in street clothes, but dressing up is common and adds to the day. Affordable rentals are available through Belrose (child costumes $8-$25, adult $18-$65). One honest local caveat: the site runs hot in September, and full costumes can be tough in the heat, so dress light
Costume rules
Costumes are not required, but the faire says the experience is heightened and more fun when you come dressed to play. Shoes are required at all times for safety and insurance reasons. Wearing a costume does not earn free admission
Weapons policy
Costume weapons are allowed but must be sheathed and peace-tied; exposed steel is not permitted, bows must be unstrung, and arrows left at home
Joining in
Season-long interactive games include the Great Grimoire quest and the new Murder Most Faire mystery game, plus audience-driven shows like Dungeons & Shakespeare, where giant dice and audience choices steer each performance. Outside instruments and busking are not permitted
Getting there
Nearest airport SJC.
How do I get to Northern California Renaissance Faire?
By bus 1
Greyhound and FlixBus both stop at the Gilroy Transit Center, about 13 miles west of Casa de Fruta, with connections from San Francisco, San Jose, and Los Angeles. From Gilroy a taxi or rideshare covers the last 13 miles east on CA-152 to the faire gate. Worth knowing for rail hopefuls: Caltrain's Gilroy station only runs weekday commute-hour trains, so it does not serve the faire's Saturday-Sunday season, the intercity coach is the practical no-car option
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare 1
San Jose Mineta (SJC) is the closest major airport, about 45 miles north of Casa de Fruta via US-101 and CA-152. Rideshare pickup at SJC is from designated Ground Transportation Island stops at both terminals, not open curbside. Expect a long-distance fare for the roughly hour-long run to the faire site; confirm your return pickup in advance, as the rural Pacheco Pass location has far fewer drivers waiting nearby than a city venue
Book / info →By train
No direct passenger rail to the venue was found. Use the airport transfers or shuttle options above.
🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost $12/day general, ADA, and motorcycle; $30/day preferred; $60/day RV (no overnight stays). Prepay via Optional advance purchase through the faire's own ticketing portal (Monday-Friday before the event): https://tickets.norcalrenfaire.com/PFP/NCRF2026/. On event days parking is cash only at the faire site, bring exact change. All vehicles must exit the park each night; there is no overnight parking. ADA parking is accessed through the preferred parking lane
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire at SJC
The practical option for most fly-in visitors: Casa de Fruta is a rural Pacheco Pass site with no public transit, the nearest rail (Caltrain at Gilroy) runs weekday commute hours only, and rideshare from San Jose is a ~45-mile trip each way. A rental from SJC, SFO, or Monterey (MRY) covers the whole run and the return drive on your own schedule
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Casa de Fruta (10031 Pacheco Pass Hwy 152, Gate 6, Hollister, CA 95023)
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Northern California Renaissance Faire?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Budget stays 1
375 Leavesley Road, Gilroy, CA, about 13 miles / 20 min west of the faire
≈ $110-130 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →Mid-range hotels 3
10031 Pacheco Pass Hwy, Hollister, CA, on the Casa de Fruta property, next to the faire site
≈ $110-140 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →6070 Monterey Road, Gilroy, CA, about 13 miles / 20 min west of the faire
≈ $120-160 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →3800 Airline Highway, Hollister, CA, south of Hollister, about 30-35 min from the faire
Book direct →Airbnb & private camping
Short-term rentals cluster in Gilroy, Hollister, and Morgan Hill, all within a 20-40 minute drive. The faire runs six consecutive fall weekends, so any single weekend's demand spike is milder than a one-shot festival, but Gilroy lodging also serves Garlic City events and Highway 152 through-traffic, so booking a few weeks ahead is still sensible
Search Airbnb →The Casa de Fruta RV park sits right next to the faire, and for tent or state-park campers the faire's own accommodations page also points to San Luis Reservoir State Park (31426 Gonzaga Road, Gustine, about 20 minutes east on CA-152, reservations via ReserveAmerica). Hipcamp lists additional private-land camping across the Gilroy-Hollister-Pacheco Pass area for a farm-stay alternative
Search Hipcamp →Pricing
Got fresher info? Tell us, a real person checks every tip, and we love fresh info.