Ren Fest Gears Up for 50th Anniversary Season Next Month

Ren Fest Gears Up for 50th Anniversary Season Next Month

HEAR YE, HEAR ye! The Texas Renaissance Festival has announced its plans for its 50th anniversary season, which opens on Oct. 12 and is preceded by a series of exciting events of magic and merriment.


Texas Renaissance Festival, which runs on weekends through Dec. 1, says this year's will be its biggest yet and include several new attractions. Already the largest event of its kind, the Renaissance Festival is attended by more than half a million revelers every year. It was the subject of a three-part docuseries called Ren Faire, which aired earlier this year on HBO and portrayed the battle for who might succeed octogenarian founder George Coulam in running the festival. (Officially, the Texas Renaissance Festival issued a statement distancing itself from the film.)

Ahead of the party in Todd Mission, Texas, those in Houston can experience adventure and enchantment at several kickoff events this month. On Sunday, Sept. 18, the Once Upon a Symphony concert in The Woodlands "transports visitors to far off lands" in a celebration of some of fiction's most fantastical fairy tales. The next day, Sept. 19, Ren Fest and Karbach kick off the Karbachtober Fest at the brewery. St. Arnold also has an Oktoberfest on Oct. 4.

Then the gates open on Oct. 12, with the Ren Fest's own Oktoberfest celebration taking place Oct. 12-13. "Journey back in time to old Bavaria ... . Show off your lederhosen in our daily costume contest or participant in our bratwurst eating contest," beckons the website. Other themed weekends include "Pirate Adventure" and "Heroes and Villains," inviting the likely-already-dressed-up attendees to put on even more costumes and gear.


Art + Entertainment
Timeless Appeal at The Village: Sophisticated Retirement Living

THE STANDARD BEARER FOR LUXURY

We built The Village communities to exemplify sophisticated retirement living in Houston, surrounded by the heritage neighborhood of River Oaks, Tanglewood and Southampton. Each offers impeccable designer finishes and Aspenwood service detail with dining and resortstyle amenities making them premier locations for discerning Houstonians and their families. Impressive, spacious residential floor plans, generous natural light, and expansive terraces allow a new level of indoor-outdoor living. Beautiful spaces are designed for entertaining, fitness, and relaxation with a dedicated team to provide a secure lock and leave lifestyle for our members.

Keep Reading Show less

Chairs Elia and Michael Gabbanelli

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER sold-out Wine Dinner and Collector's Auction for the Houston Symphony. This year's event was chaired by Elia and Michael Gabbanelli, and raised more than $900,000 for the Symphony's education and community programs.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Chef-owner Austin Waiter of The Marigold Club, now serving fried chicken and Champagne on Sunday nights.


IF YOUR SUNDAY nights could use a little sparkle—and a lot of fried chicken—The Marigold Club has just the thing. Starting May 25 at 5pm, the Montrose hotspot known for its playful mix of Southern charm and London polish is rolling out a new weekly tradition: Fried Chicken & Champagne Sundays.

This isn’t your average comfort food situation. We're talking a shareable fried chicken dinner for two, made with farm-raised birds from Deeply Rooted Ranch, and served alongside buttery whipped potatoes, minted peas, aged cheddar scones, and some over-the-top sauces — including a foie gras sauce supreme that’s as extra as it sounds.

Keep Reading Show less
Food