Bay Area Renaissance Festival

The Bay Area Renaissance Festival recreates the sixteenth-century village of Folkstone on grounds along Auton Road in Dade City, serving the wider Tampa Bay area. Stages around the village host musicians, magicians, jugglers, and birds-of-prey shows, and full-contact armored jousting is performed several times a day. An artisan marketplace fills the lanes, and other attractions include a human chess match and axe throwing. The festival runs as a series of theme weekends in late winter, and dogs are welcome throughout the season. Costumes are optional for guests, and costume-watching is a prominent part of the day for many visitors.