Colorado Renaissance Festival
The Colorado Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair held in Larkspur, Colorado, about 39 miles south of Denver and 32 miles north of Colorado Springs. It takes place over eight weekends from June through August and is built like a 16th‑century Tudor village.
The festival sits on about 60 acres of grounds with 338 acres of camping space, has 10 stages, and features more than 200 artisan shops along with hundreds of costumed performers. The event also hosts weddings during its themed weekends.
History and leadership: The festival began in 1975 as a tear‑down event in Morrison with 60 artisan booths. It moved to Castle Rock after two years and then settled in Larkspur. It was founded by Jim Paradise; his son Jim Paradise Jr. is the current director. Part of the Larkspur property was purchased in 1975 from the historic American Federation of Human Rights Headquarters.
What to expect: each of the eight weekends has a different theme that influences performances, costumes, food, drink, art, shops, contests, and games. The festival draws about 250,000 visitors each year. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, with the 46th edition moved to 2021.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:52 (CET).