Wilson Park
Wilson Park, renamed Fountaine-on-the-Green for the faire, has been part of downtown Florence since 1818 and still centers on the fountain given to the city in 1934. The Alabama Renaissance Faire, founded in 1987, fills the one city block park on the fourth Saturday and Sunday of October, with free admission and free street parking, more than 80 artisans, and food along Bakers' Lane. The park is handicapped accessible, though some vendors sit in grassy or sloped spots, and pets are welcome on a leash.
Before you go
- Indoor or outdoor
- Outdoor: a one city block public park in downtown Florence
- Official site
- florenceal.org
- Next festival here
- Alabama Renaissance Faire, Oct 24 to 25, 2026
Worth knowing before you go
- Vendors don't serve alcohol themselves, but plenty of nearby bars and restaurants do.
- Portable toilets sit at the park's corners; bring hand sanitizer since there are no handwashing stations.
- Swords and knives are fine as props if peace-tied to their sheath.
- Metered parking is free after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends.
- The crowd gets large, so a leashed pet may be happier left at home.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Outdoor, one city block park · Free admission and free street parking · 80+ artisans plus food vendors.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want a free, family-friendly Renaissance faire in a historic downtown park.
- You like browsing 80+ artisan vendors and buying lunch from food stalls.
Think twice if
- You need fully flat, paved ground everywhere: some vendor spots are grassy or sloped.
- You were hoping to buy alcohol from the faire itself: that's only available at nearby bars and restaurants.
Getting there and parking
Festival-specific · Alabama Renaissance FaireThe faire always runs the fourth Saturday and Sunday in October, with Saturday hours 10am to 6pm and Sunday noon to 6pm. The new King or Queen is crowned at 3pm on Sunday, followed by a procession. Admission and street parking are free. Metered parking is free after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, and the parking deck on the corner of Tombigbee and Pine, three blocks west of the park, is free on weekends. The U.S. Post Office lot will tow you.
Accessibility
Festival-specific · Alabama Renaissance FaireThe faire is handicapped accessible, held on a one city block park with many concrete paths, though some vendors are set up in grassy areas or on slight inclines.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (florenceal.org).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Wilson Park. The venue's own pages are the place to check: florenceal.org.
Food, water and what you can bring
Festival-specific · Alabama Renaissance FaireMore than 80 artisans show their crafts at the faire, with food vendors along Bakers' Lane and on Wood Avenue. The faire's own vendors do not serve alcohol, but there are many bars and restaurants within easy walking distance that serve beer, wine and mixed drinks. Portable toilets are at the corners of the park, and it's worth bringing hand sanitizer since there are no handwashing stations. Public restrooms are also available across the street at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, though it closes before the faire does.
Festival-specific · Alabama Renaissance FaireProp or costume weapons like swords and knives are allowed as long as they are peace-tied to their sheath so they can't be drawn. Pets are allowed but must stay on a leash, and the faire is family-oriented, so attendees are asked to wear clothing befitting public decency.
Quick answers
Is admission to the Alabama Renaissance Faire free?
Yes. Admission and street parking are both free.
Is Wilson Park handicapped accessible?
Yes, with many concrete paths, though some vendors sit in grassy areas or on slight inclines.
Can I bring a sword or knife as a costume prop?
Yes, as long as it's peace-tied to its sheath so it can't be drawn.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, on a leash, though the crowd gets large enough that your pet may be happier at home.
Can I buy a drink at the faire?
Not from the faire's own vendors, but plenty of nearby bars and restaurants serve beer, wine and mixed drinks.
What are the faire's hours?
Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday noon to 6pm, on the fourth weekend of October.
Are there restrooms at the faire?
Portable toilets sit at the corners of the park, and public restrooms are across the street at the library, though it closes before the faire ends.
A little history
Wilson Park was established in 1818 as part of the original town plan, set aside as a full city block by John Coffee, Hunter Peel and Ferdinand Sannoner. It was originally labeled 'Public Walk' before being renamed Wilson Park in tribute to President Woodrow Wilson in the early 20th century. In 1934, Hiram Kennedy Douglass gave the city a fountain in honor of his parents, considered the most photographed human made object in the Shoals area; it got a new base in 1970.
The Alabama Renaissance Faire was founded in 1987 to educate about the Medieval and Renaissance eras through entertainment, and is run entirely by volunteers to keep it free, family-friendly and fun.