Photography by Nick Krug
Step into the 16th century with music, merriment and open-air theater at these fall Renaissance-style festivals
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players … or so Shakespeare says. Every fall, the annual Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival in north central Kansas celebrates the English playwright with rousing performances of his greatest works, along with a lively medieval-style marketplace, games and musical performances.
Located on the outskirts of Saint Marys, this family-friendly event transforms the wooded meadow affectionately known as Sir William’s Hollow into a rustic outdoor amphitheater. This year’s festival, September 26–28 and October 3–5, presents The Tempest, which is thought to be one of Shakespeare’s last plays. In The Tempest, Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, uses his magical powers to create a storm (or tempest) that shipwrecks many of his enemies onto a remote island. Ultimately, it is a story about magic, love, betrayal and forgiveness.
Actors from across the region audition for this festival, which stages a different Shakespeare play each year. The last two festivals featured some of the bard’s most popular comedies: Much Ado About Nothing in 2024 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2023.
“Of course, those are always going to be fan favorites,” says festival director of operations Therese McFarland. “They’re fun, and they’re great introductions to Shakespeare.”
The surrounding woods provide a natural canopy for the lively marketplace, where food vendors offer Renaissance fare, such as the iconic turkey leg and savory hand pies (small medieval meat pies). The separate pub area serves food and drink near a stage featuring live folk music and traditional Irish songs performed by groups from all over the country.
Throughout the market, local artisans stock their booths with handmade goods that blend modern designs with traditional techniques, and a glassblower and blacksmith demonstrate their skills on-site.
The year’s festival will also offer horse and hay wagon rides, as well as a variety of traditional games, including archery, axe throwing, fencing and target shooting. “There’s one called the Hangman’s Pole,” McFarland says. “Participants have to see how long they can hang by their hands from a rolling bar.”
The entire festival is made possible by community volunteers.
“We mostly focus on the Shakespearian period, which puts us roughly in England at the end of the 1500s, early 1600s,” McFarland says. “We want the whole family to come and enjoy the atmosphere.”
flinthillsshakespearefestival.com / 913.583.6365
Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival
Wichita
Jousters and fire breathers come to Sedgwick County Park in Wichita every fall and spring. At this fall’s Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival, September 27–28, knights will battle for the honor of their lady fair, royal falconers will fly birds of prey, magicians will perform sleight of hand, and aerialists will entertain. Visitors will also get the chance to dress up in several layers of a knight’s protective armor, including chainmail, gorget (worn around the neck), gauntlets and helmets. Attend the pirate comedy show ScallyWags for laughing, singing and swashbuckling. The festival will also host the Wichita Highland Games, which features traditional Scottish events such as the caber toss, hammer throw, sheaf toss and stone throw, as well as the International Highland Games Federation’s Men’s U.S. National Amateur Championship. The winner of this event will go on to represent the U.S. in the world games.
greatplainsrenfest.com / 316.253.3392
Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Bonner Springs
For nearly 50 years, the Kansas City Renaissance Festival in Bonner Springs has celebrated this historic era, immersing visitors in a world where kings and queens reign, knights joust, and fairies flutter about, blending history with fantasy. Set in a sprawling, permanent 16th-century style village, it is one of the largest Renaissance festivals in the nation. Costumed characters roam the grounds; booths are filled with hand-blown glass, fine metal crafts, pottery, woodwork, leatherwork, paintings and jewelry; and artisans demonstrate textile, wood and metal-crafting techniques. Entertainment revolves around the seven themed weekends from August 30 to October 12, including Labor Day and Columbus Day.
kcrenfest.com / 913.721.2110
