Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
- Dates
- Expected August 2026
- Status
- Confirmed
- Venue
- Mount Hope Estate & Winery (2775 Lebanon Rd, Manheim, PA 17545)
- Price
- Not announced
- Camping
- None on site
- Last checked
- Aug 24, 2026
The experience
What's special
The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire recreates a 16th-century English village across 35 acres of the Mount Hope Estate & Winery, with dozens of Tudor buildings, paved streets, and hundreds of costumed characters led by Queen Elizabeth I. More than 90 shows a day unfold on a dozen stages - musical acts, magic, fire-breathing, puppet shows, Shakespearean plays, comical mud beggars, and live jousting capped by a story-driven fireworks finale - while 23 Royal Kitchens and the estate's own micro-brewed ales and wines feed the crowd. The faire runs Saturdays and Sundays from mid-August to the final weekend of October, with Halloween theming late in the season and a separate Yuletide event on the grounds from Black Friday.
What people love
Attendees consistently rank this among the best-run faires in the region: real flush bathrooms, paved walkways, easy parking, and a spread-out site that leaves room to breathe even on busy days come up again and again, along with top-rated shows and demonstrations, the estate's own beer and wine, and an afternoon bar crawl. The finale joust with fireworks and beloved recurring acts draw repeat visitors. The most common criticisms: a growing share of drop-shipped, mass-produced goods among the vendors, food that regulars say has gotten pricier without improving, and an atmosphere some find increasingly drink-centered.
See the grounds
Themed weekends
Open Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, from mid-August through October; the season ends the final weekend in October
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 nothing is gatekept: attendees report every kind of costume at the faire, renaissance garb, cosplay of any franchise, or plain street clothes all fit in. Regulars advise against buying garb on site for your first visit (on-site garb is expensive) and suggest layering for Pennsylvania's swingy fall weather
Costume rules
The dress code is casual to business casual; guests are welcome to dress in time-period-appropriate attire, but it is not required
Joining in
Hundreds of costumed characters roam the village and stay in character with guests, a paid foam-sword balloon-popping ring lets visitors battle in protective gear, and the day ends with a story-driven finale joust with fireworks. The last three October weekends carry Halloween theming
Getting there
How do I get to Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire?
By train 1
No rail reaches Mount Hope itself, but the Philadelphia-Harrisburg Keystone corridor passes close: Elizabethtown station is about 11 miles southwest of the faire and Lancaster station about 15 miles south, both with frequent daily service from Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and Harrisburg. Finish with a ~20-minute rideshare, a genuinely workable rail day-trip from Philadelphia
Book / info →By bus 1
Intercity coaches serve the Harrisburg Transportation Center (about 20 miles from the faire) and Lancaster; no scheduled bus continues to Mount Hope Estate, finish by rideshare or rental car
Book / info →Taxi & rideshare 1
From Harrisburg International, Uber picks up on Level 3 of the parking garage (shared rideshare meeting point) and taxis queue outside baggage claim; the faire is about 25 miles southeast, just off PA Turnpike exit 266. From Philadelphia International the same apps cover the ~75-mile trip west at a correspondingly higher fare
Book / info →🅿 Parking
On site parking available. Cost Free. Parking is free in dedicated faire and winery lots off the Main Entrance (0.25 mile south of PA Turnpike exit 266) and a South Entrance off Mountain Road. Accessible parking is available, ask the parking crew on arrival. Attendees consistently report smoother traffic and entry here than at peer faires
🚙 Car hire
Compare car hire
A rural estate venue with free parking, 25 miles from MDT, in the middle of Hershey/Lancaster tourism country, a rental car is the natural choice for fly-in visitors planning to roam Dutch Country or Hersheypark alongside the faire
Search car hire →Live price search coming soon.
Where
Venue
Mount Hope Estate & Winery (2775 Lebanon Rd, Manheim, PA 17545)
Camping & Accommodation
Where can I stay near Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire?
No on site camping. Here is where to stay nearby.
Budget stays 2
Manheim, PA (0.3 miles from the faire)
≈ $76-110 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →Manheim/Lebanon corridor, PA
≈ $90-130 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →Mid-range hotels 2
Mount Joy, PA
≈ $150-200 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →Lebanon, PA
≈ $170-220 / night approx, book direct with the hotel
Book direct →Luxe hotels 1
Airbnb & private camping
Short-term rentals are plentiful across Lancaster County farm country, Mount Gretna's historic cottage colony (10 minutes away), and the Hershey area. The faire's long August-October weekend season overlaps Hersheypark's fall calendar and Lancaster's peak tourism, so Saturday nights carry premiums, Mount Gretna cottages in particular book far ahead
Search Airbnb →No camping at Mount Hope Estate, but Lancaster and Lebanon counties are strong camping territory, established campgrounds dot the Route 72 corridor and Hipcamp lists private farm-stay and woodland sites across the region, an on-theme option given the area's agritourism character
Search Hipcamp →Pricing
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