Festival Maxxing

Make the most of your day in Petite Lyon!

There’s a lot to experience at the St. Louis Renaissance Festival, and only so many hours in a Festival day. Whether you want the complete Renaissance experience, plan to eat your way across the kingdom, or are visiting with young adventurers, we’ve put together a few ways to maxx your Festival day.

WEEKEND MAXXING

Two Days. One Kingdom. Maximum Adventure.

Why try to fit an entire kingdom into one day?

Spend the weekend exploring Petite Lyon with jousting, live entertainment, handcrafted shopping, Festival food, games, interactive attractions, and plenty of surprises along the way.

DAY ONE – THE CLASSIC RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

10:00 AM – Enter the Realm

Be there as the gates open and Petite Lyon comes to life! Pick up a Festival schedule, grab a free Celebration Ribbon at the Information Booth, and take your first stroll through the village.

10:30 AM – Explore the Village

Meet characters, discover hidden corners of the Festival, and get your bearings. Stop by some of the artisan shoppes and start scouting the handcrafted treasure you may want to take home later.

11:30 AM – Cheer at the Joust

Choose your champion and head to the Joust Field as armored knights and thundering horses take center stage.

12:30 PM – Feast Like Royalty

It’s time for one of the most important Festival traditions: food. Grab a legendary turkey leg or discover something else from the Festival kitchens before continuing your adventure.

1:30 PM – Shop the Artisan Marketplace

Explore handcrafted jewelry, leatherwork, clothing, artwork, décor, and one-of-a-kind creations while meeting the talented makers behind them.

2:00 PM – The Joust Continues

Ready for round two? Return to the Joust Field and see the competition continue, or use this time to discover one of the many stages located throughout Petite Lyon.

3:00 PM – Find Your Festival Favorite

Catch live music, comedy, circus performers, aerialists, pirates, storytellers, and other entertainment happening throughout the village.

4:00 PM – One More Joust

Finish the afternoon with another clash of knights at the Joust Field.

5:00 PM – One Last Show

Before the day ends, grab a drink or snack and catch one final performance.

5:30 PM – Join the Farewell

Follow the merriment toward the front of the Festival as entertainers and villagers gather to bring the day to a close.

5:45 PM – Closing Ceremony

Day One is complete, but you’ve only begun to explore the Realm.

DAY TWO – DISCOVER MORE OF PETITE LYON

10:00 AM – Back for More

Return to the Realm and head somewhere you missed on Day One. The quieter morning hours are a perfect opportunity to explore.

10:30 AM – Become Part of the Adventure

Step into one of the Festival’s interactive experiences. Train your magical skills at Wizard Training School, discover the new Viking Mead Hall, begin your Quest for Thrones, or set sail for Buccaneer Bay.

11:30 AM – See the Realm Differently

Already saw the Joust yesterday? Catch a stage show instead. Seek out music, magic, comedy, or one of the Festival’s more unexpected performances.

12:30 PM – Try Something New

Yesterday may have belonged to the turkey leg. Today, branch out and discover a new Festival favorite from the food booths and village pubs.

1:30 PM – Meet the Makers

Slow down and spend some time inside the artisan shoppes. Talk with the craftspeople, watch demonstrations, and discover just how much of the Festival marketplace is handmade.

2:30 PM – Pirates, Performers & Plenty of Chaos

Find a show you haven’t seen yet. Catch Pirates Inc., aerialists, circus performers, musicians, or whatever happens to be unfolding nearby.

3:30 PM – Add a Royal Experience

Take your Festival visit to another level with a Daily Royal Event. Sample mead, join a Pub Crawl, attend Queen’s Tea, enjoy a tasting, or choose another experience happening that day.

4:30 PM – Finish Your Quest

Still missing a throne? Haven’t visited Mermaid Cove? Walked past a game you wanted to try? Now is your chance to check the final adventures off your list.

5:30 PM – One Last Walk Through the Realm

Grab one final snack, return to your favorite shop, and take in Petite Lyon one more time.

You came. You feasted. You cheered. You explored.

You officially maxxed the Festival.

FOOD MAXXING

A Festival Day Built Around Feasting

Come hungry.

From the classic turkey leg to Festival snacks, sweets, pub stops, and specialty tasting experiences, spend your day discovering the flavors of the Realm.

10:00 AM – Start the Feast

Enter Petite Lyon and start exploring the food booths before the midday crowds arrive. A little breakfast, pastry, or early Festival snack is the perfect way to begin.

10:30 AM – Sip, Paint & Snack

Want to start big? Reserve a spot at Paint-N-Sip, featuring four wine samples, meats and cheeses, painting supplies, and your own canvas.

11:30 AM – Brunch at the Joust

Combine two Festival essentials with Brunch at the Joust. Enjoy a gourmet turkey leg lunch with sparkling wine and orange juice while taking in the action from the Joust Field.

Or keep it classic and grab a turkey leg of your own before finding a spot in the stands.

1:00 PM – Mead-Evil Time

Discover one of the oldest drinks in the Realm at the Mead Tasting, featuring four mead samples, live entertainment, and a commemorative tasting flask.

2:00 PM – Snack & Explore

Give yourself a break from the big meals and wander the village with something snackable while checking out the artisan marketplace and afternoon entertainment.

For the 21+ crowd, this is also the perfect time to embark on the Cocktail Crawl, traveling from the Boozy Bean & Bakery Bar to Two Cannons Whisky & Rum Bar and the Mermaid Margarita Bar.

3:30 PM – Something Sweet

No Festival feast is complete without dessert. Find something sweet, grab a cold drink and take a break before your final round through the village.

4:15 PM – A Toast with the King

Finish your afternoon in royal company at King’s Happy Hour, featuring ales, savory hors d’oeuvres, bawdy songs and stories fit for the court.

5:15 PM – The Last Bite

Revisit the thing you loved most—or finally try the food you’ve been eyeing all day.

A successful Food Maxxing day should end with only one problem:

You’re completely full.

FAMILY MAXXING

Big Adventures for Little Knights, Fairies, Pirates & Wizards

Build a day around magic, animals, knights, mermaids, and hands-on adventures the entire family can enjoy.

10:00 AM – Enter the Kingdom

Arrive early, grab your Festival schedule, and let everyone choose one thing they absolutely have to experience before the day is over.

10:30 AM – Wizard Training School

Young spellcasters can begin their adventure by learning the ways of magic at Wizard Training School.

11:30 AM – The First Joust

Head to the Joust Field and cheer as knights compete on horseback. Pick a favorite knight and make some noise!

12:30 PM – Fairy Tale Tea Party

For young adventurers ages 5–12, add a little extra magic with the Fairy Tale Tea Party, featuring mischievous fairies, an edible fairy garden, crafts, entertainment, and a photo opportunity.

Or take this time to grab lunch and explore the Children’s Realm.

2:00 PM – Meet the Birds of Prey

Head to the St. Louis Stage for an up-close look at incredible birds during the Wildlife Command Bird of Prey Show.

3:00 PM – Mermaids & Adventures

Visit Mermaid Cove, where mermaids can be found throughout the day, then continue exploring the Festival’s family attractions.

Set sail at Buccaneer Bay, search the village during the Quest for Thrones, play a Festival game, or discover another adventure along the way.

4:00 PM – One Final Joust

Return to the Joust Field for one more battle and cheer your champion on to victory.

4:45 PM – Pick a Festival Treasure

Let your young adventurer choose a souvenir from the Artisan Marketplace—a wand, crown, handcrafted treasure, or something else to remember their day in Petite Lyon.

5:30 PM – Parade Toward the Gates

Join the procession toward the front of the Festival and say farewell to the characters and entertainers you’ve met throughout the day.

5:45 PM – Closing Ceremony

The kingdom closes for another day.

Head home with tired feet, full stomachs, and at least one young adventurer asking:

“Can we come back tomorrow?”

21+ MAXXING

Raise a Glass to a Full Day in the Realm

For those who prefer their Renaissance adventure with a little more revelry.

Build your day around taverns, tastings, entertainment, and some of the Festival’s best adults-only experiences. Just remember: pace thyself, drink plenty of water, and save room for a turkey leg.

10:00 AM – Enter the Realm

Start your day with a walk through Petite Lyon while the village is just coming to life. Check the Daily Schedule, scout out the pubs, and make note of any shows you don’t want to miss.

10:30 AM – Ease Into the Day

Grab something to eat, browse the artisan marketplace, and enjoy a little live music before the serious revelry begins.

If Paint-N-Sip is on your agenda, this is the perfect way to kick off the day with wine, snacks and a little creativity.

11:30 AM – Joust & Lunch

No Renaissance Festival day is complete without the Joust.

Grab some Festival food—or upgrade the experience with Brunch at the Joust—and watch armored knights battle before a roaring crowd.

12:30 PM – Your First Tavern Stop

With the first Joust complete, wander toward one of the village pubs for a drink while catching live music, comedy, or whatever chaos happens to be unfolding nearby.

1:00 PM – Mead Tasting

Drink like they did centuries ago at the Mead Tasting.

Sample a selection of meads while enjoying entertainment and learning a little more about one of history’s most legendary fermented drinks.

2:00 PM – Explore, Shop & Snack

Take a break between drinks and explore the Realm.

Browse handcrafted goods, catch a stage show, grab something substantial to eat, and discover some of Petite Lyon’s tucked-away corners.

2:30 PM – Join the Pub Crawl

Ready to turn things up?

Embark on the Pub Crawl and travel through the village with fellow revelers while enjoying drinks, games, songs, and plenty of Renaissance-style mischief.

3:30 PM – Find Some Trouble

Now that you’re properly acquainted with the taverns, find a show that matches the mood.

Catch pirates, musicians, comedy, fire performers, or one of the Festival’s more delightfully inappropriate acts.

4:15 PM – King Henry’s Happy Hour

Report to King Henry’s Happy Hour for one of the Realm’s signature 21+ experiences.

Enjoy drinks, savory bites, bawdy songs, stories, and plenty of royal revelry.

5:00 PM – One Last Round

Finish the day with your favorite Festival beverage, split a final snack with your party, and make one last lap through the marketplace.

Just don’t forget where you parked.

5:45 PM – Closing Ceremony

Raise one final toast to a day well spent.

You came to the Renaissance Festival.

You left having thoroughly maxxed the taverns.

Must be 21+ to participate in alcohol-related experiences. Daily Royal Events require separate admission and may sell out. Please enjoy responsibly.

ADVENTURE MAXXING

Don’t Just Visit the Realm. Conquer It.

Watching the Festival is fun.

But sometimes you want to do something.

Adventure Maxxing is for guests who want to spend the day battling, exploring, questing, training, playing, and discovering everything Petite Lyon has hidden around the next corner.

10:00 AM – Your Quest Begins

Enter the gates, grab a Festival map and Daily Schedule and assemble your adventuring party. Your mission: see how much of the Realm you can conquer before the gates close.

10:15 AM – Begin the Quest for Thrones

Start hunting early. Travel through Petite Lyon in search of the Festival’s unique thrones and see how many you can discover throughout your day. Bonus points for taking a photo at every one.

10:45 AM – Train Like a Wizard

Make your way to Wizard Training School and test your magical abilities. Young apprentices and seasoned sorcerers alike can start their day learning the ways of wizardry before heading deeper into the Realm.

11:30 AM – Witness the Joust

Every good adventure needs knights. Head to the Joust Field for your first battle of the day as armored competitors clash on horseback. Choose your champion wisely.

12:15 PM – Refuel

Adventuring is hungry work. Grab a turkey leg, Festival favorite, or something portable and prepare for the next leg of your journey.

1:00 PM – Set Sail for Buccaneer Bay

Trade knights for pirates and make your way toward Buccaneer Bay. Explore the pirate side of the Realm, discover the ship, and catch some swashbuckling entertainment while you’re there.

2:00 PM – Round Two at the Joust

Your knight needs you. Return to the Joust Field as the competition continues—or use this hour to tackle another attraction if you’re determined to see absolutely everything.

2:45 PM – Test Your Skills

Now it’s your turn. Try your hand at Festival games and challenges throughout the Realm. Throw, toss, aim, climb, or compete your way through Petite Lyon and see who in your party earns bragging rights.

3:30 PM – Enter Viking Territory

Seek out the Viking Mead Hall and surrounding Viking area. Meet the warriors, explore the encampment, and get a taste of life beyond the castle walls.

4:00 PM – Knights Warrior Challenge

Do you have what it takes to be a knight? Come visit the Knights Warrior Challenge and put your skills, strength, and agility to the test! This high-energy obstacle course is sure to challenge and excite the whole group. Can you conquer every feat?

4:45 PM – Complete the Quest

You’re running out of daylight. Find the last few thrones, visit Mermaid Cove, discover an attraction you missed earlier, or challenge someone in your group to one final Festival game.

5:15 PM – Claim Your Treasure

Every successful adventure deserves a reward. Head into the artisan marketplace and find something worthy of bringing back to the modern world—a sword, wand, leather piece, jewelry, artwork, or handcrafted treasure.

5:30 PM – Follow the Village to the Gates

Join performers and villagers as the day’s adventure winds toward its conclusion.

5:45 PM – Quest Complete

The gates close. The kingdom rests. And your party officially leaves Petite Lyon as seasoned Festival adventurers.

How many quests can you complete in one day?