Charlotte On The Cheap

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Winners announced! New contest for 16 vouchers for tickets to Carolina Renaissance Festival (2 winners)

POSTED BY
Jody Mace

Carolina Renaissance Festival is making the Charlotte area more festive and fun, for the 33rd season! When is the Carolina Renaissance Festival? It is taking place Saturdays and Sundays from October 3 to November 22, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The event is rain or shine, except for VERY severe weather.

It is once again on a 250-acre farm north of Charlotte, between Concord and Huntersville, at the junction of NC-73 and Poplar Tent Road. Find directions here.

Tickets are on sale now. Purchase tickets at Carolina.RenFestInfo.com.

You’ll notice that for most dates you’ll have to join a waitlist. Don’t let that deter you! They activate the waitlist when they have sold 45% of capacity. This is so that in the case of several days of rain, they’ll have enough parking. If the weather is looking ok, they’ll release the waitlist tickets around 5 days before the date. You’re very likely to be able to get tickets if you are on the waitlist.

We are giving away free vouchers! Read on to learn how to enter the contest! And if you win, make sure to use the vouchers to join the waitlist for the day of your choice! (Assuming that the waitlist has been activated.)

Also, read on to enter to learn about discount days!

Photo courtesy of Carolina Renaissance Festival

Ticket Prices

  • $37.99 for adults
  • $23.99 for children ages 5-12
  • Free for children ages 4 and under
Photo courtesy of Carolina Renaissance Festival

Ticket Giveaway

We will be giving away a lot of vouchers on Charlotte on the Cheap. Here’s how to win.

First, you need to be a newsletter subscriber. We send out one newsletter every morning with information about what’s going on in the Charlotte area, with an eye to “free and cheap.”

Then, scroll down to the comment section of this article and leave a comment. (You might need to scroll for a while!) Make sure to enter with the email address you use to subscribe to the newsletter. Don’t put the email address in the comment field, just in the email field. That way it won’t be visible to the public.

Subscribe to Charlotte on the Cheap

Winners of Contests

As contests end, we’ll list the winners’ names here, obscuring a few letters of last names, for privacy. We also email the winners, so make sure to check your inbox and spam folder.

  • September 7: Amy V. K.
  • September 16: Elizabeth L**b
  • September 23: Kylie Jo**n
  • October 1: Franklin Pa**l
  • October 8: Renee R**e
  • October 15: Marcilyn H**l
  • October 22: Fatima Es**a
  • October 26: Salvatore C.
  • November 1: Debra Be***rs

Current Contest

We’re giving away 16 vouchers! Two subscribers will EACH win 8 vouchers! The contest ends November 5, 2026! Scroll way down to enter! Remember, you need to be a newsletter subscriber to win!

Photo courtesy of Carolina Renaissance Festival

Discount and Special Event Days at Carolina Renaissance Festival

Learn about the special weekends at Carolina Renaissance Festival.

For most of the discounts you’ll need a coupon. Coupons will arrive at Harris Teeter, Autobell Car Wash, Chick-fil-A locations and Local Trend in Charlotte the week of September 15, 2026.

Opening Invasion Celebration

October 3 and 4
Save $26 with two adult tickets.
Two adult tickets for $47.99
Coupon required (see above)
More info

Deaf Awareness Day

October 10
Certified sign language interpreters will interpret performances on select stages
Members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, family and friends can save $13 per adult ticket.
Children up to age 12 admitted for free.
You’ll need a coupon code for this discount. Submit an email to request a discount code.
More info

Wizards & Revels Weekend

October 17 and 18
Sorcerers and Spell Casters costume contest. Play DND and other fantasy games.
Children up to age 12 are admitted for free with coupon code or coat donation.
More info

Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights

October 31 and November 1
Huge costume party, plus trick or treating. Costume contest where you can win tickets for a return visit, plus other prizes.
Free child admission (up to age 12) with no coupon required.
More info

Time Travelers’ Weekend

November 14 and 15
Costume contest where you can win tickets for a return visit, plus other prizes. Free child admission (up to age 12) with a school supply donation.
More info

Final Huzzah

November 21 and 22
Free child admission with a canned food donation.
More info

Photo courtesy of Carolina Renaissance Festival

Carolina Renaissance Festival Features

Carolina Renaissance Festival is one of the Charlotte area’s biggest and most popular fall events. Enjoy an open air Artisan Market, games, rides, jousting knights, falconry, feasting and more.

Cirque du Sewer (new!)

Trained cats and rats! All season long

Blades & Bravery (new!)

Knives! Swords! Danger! October 3, 4, 10 and 11.

Gabs the Fool (new!)

Clowning, circus and comedy. October 17, 18, 24 and 25.

Tiny Girl Big Show (new!)

Acrobatics, circus and comedy. October 31, and November 1, 7 and 8.

The Lynx Show (new!)

Comedy sword swallowing. November 14, 15, 21 and 22.

Jousting Knights

Three times a day knights will battle for the Queen’s honor int he shire’s tournament arena.

Artisan Market

Shop for gifts for others or for yourself! You’ll find glass blowing, blacksmithing, cobblers, potters, candle makers, sculptors, leather workers, jewelers and more.

Falconry

Falconry was known as the “sport of kings.” Find out why as you watch these majestic birds in flight.

Sea Fairy Mermaids

Catch a glimpse of living mermaids as they perform underwater!

More entertainment

There are fourteen stages of entertainment, including comedy, music, dance vaudeville and circus entertainment. Over 1,000 costumed villagers roam the streets as well!

All Day Play

Ride the world’s largest rocking house, try out Da Vinci’s Flying Machine. Sail on the Voyage to the New World. Ride a camel. Meet the animals in the Village Petting Farm. Try out archery, ride the Pirate’s Assault Catapult, or throw a tomato at a surly peasant.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Brittney Danna says

    My birthday is November 19 and I would love to go! I have no birthday plans and this would be awesome

  8. Diane M says

    Love everything about the Renaissance Fair! What a great way to spend the day with the family!

  30. Laura Douglass says

    Huzzah! I’d love to win and take my young niece and nephew for their first trip to the festival.

  33. Samantha Law says

    Brother is coming in from Ohio. Would love to surprise him

    Thank any way Charlotte on the cheap for doing this for the families

  39. Kristina Smith says

    Thank you for the tips about the waitlist! I was wondering how that worked. I hope to be able to go soon!

  61. Danny C says

    “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

  71. Aiesha K says

    Hi! I run a group home for girls and would love to take them to experience the renaissance Festival

  78. Erin Owens says

    A fall day at the Festival. 8 tickets? Perfect for grandkids and their parents! I’ll have to buy my own ticket!

  91. Jonathan Hill says

    Eight tickets?! 👑🏰 That’s enough to assemble a royal court of questionable decision-makers! 😂 We’re ready to eat our weight in turkey legs, yell at knights on horseback, spend money on things we absolutely don’t need, and pretend we’re royalty for a day. Huzzah! ⚔️🍗🍻

  105. Daniel Schmidt says

    Entering again for this round — would love to win vouchers! The jousting and a giant turkey leg are my favorite fall tradition. Thanks for the giveaway!

  110. Alexandra L. says

    I would love to go a lot more. Ticket prices had been a deterrent. Just wasnt affordable for me. If I could get some no charge I’d be there in a flash

  113. Stacy Ellyson says

    It has been years since we have been and would love to go again this year, it is so fun!

  117. holly williams says

    Winning this contest would be AMAZING!!!!! Want to take the fam to see what the Ren Fest is all about!!!! ⚔️🤴👸🍻🍗🐎🏆✨️💐🤹‍♂️🎊🪄✨️🍀🎲🍀🎲🤞🤞🤞🤞

  127. Regina says

    There’s 7 of us, so the only way we can go is with the vouchers! The kids would be ecstatic! Please 🙏🏼

  134. Cayla L says

    We want to spend a day escaping reality at the Renaissance Festival so very badly! Thanks for the chance!!

  136. Heather Jones says

    I work with justice-involved youth. We believe in pro-social events to help change the mindset of these youth.
    Many would not have an opportunity to experience this unique event.
    I would love to invite these awesome At-Opportunity kiddos!

  137. Asha says

    Pick me!! Would love to enjoy this festival with my girls, for a girl day!🙏🏿😁💖

    pleeaaase!! and thank you!!🙌🏿

  140. Raven B says

    Trying to think of something catchy to make me standout but I can’t think of anything lol. Would love to win these tickets to have a fun festival day with friends!! Definitely need this!! 🙏🏾😇

  144. Sharon Polite says

    my sister/friend & i attended last year Sadly she passed ln May & I’d like to go in remembrace of her

  145. Tracy Weeks says

    Would really love to go. It would be a great distraction from everything going on right now. Fingers crossed and hoping.

  147. Carol Walker says

    I would love to win some tickets and to take my family to the final weekend! We’ve never been!

  148. Tonya Bush says

    Since I can’t go back in time and experience it 😭 I would love to experience it in the present!!

  149. James Debro says

    Congratulations to the previous winners.
    I will not give up until I’m chosen for those vouchers for the Carolina Renaissance Festival! I want to attend very badly!

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