Hear ye, hear ye: The 2026 Arizona Renaissance Festival hath come to town, bringing with it a haven for fantasy lovers and an escape from everyday life.
Fairies, princesses and knights exist in storybooks, but for a few weeks every spring, they come to life, and many ASU students make the drive out to visit their fantasy world. Fairgrounds in Gold Canyon, Arizona, transform the desert into a medieval wonderland every weekend from January through March.
"As soon as you walk in, you're transported to this other world," said Keegan McAleece, a freshman studying tourism development and management.
When attendees present their ticket, they pass underneath a bridge decorated with banners, flowers and the queen herself sitting atop to welcome her subjects to the Village of Fairhaven.
Live musicians strum harps, blow bagpipes and play the flute as performers pass by, so committed to the part you'd really believe they stepped out of the 16th century.
Every detail of the festival is meant to send you back in time, from the architecture to the costumes and dialect used by cast members.
"I always feel really calmed by it, because it's just nice to know that there are other people who have common interests," McAleece said.
Different fandoms make up a distinct portion of Renaissance Festival enjoyers, such as The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons and Game of Thrones. McAleece added that historical reenactors also participate every year to immerse themselves in a different time period.
"It's kind of just a big gathering for nerds and theater kids," said Jaden Barrero, a freshman studying molecular biosciences and biotechnology. "You essentially have somewhere where you can live action role play, and not be made fun of for it."
LARPers, or live action role players, create their own characters, similar to tabletop role play games, but physically bring them to life using costumes and props.
To some extent the entire Renaissance Festival is LARPing, but in a judgement-free world — that's the appeal for many attendees.
Some join the fun through dressing up, engaging in activities like archery and tomato throwing or picking up on Renaissance slang.
McAleece said the festival is a freeing environment because everyone is participating, no matter what fandom they come from.
Max Snyders, a freshman studying popular music, has played Dungeons & Dragons since 2023 but had to hide the hobby due to social norms. The effects of moral panic surrounding the game in the 1980s still lingered in his family, causing disapproval over Snyders playing D&D.
He added that it can be lonely having stereotypically nerdy hobbies, but the Renaissance Festival flips the script: According to Snyders, if you're at the festival and you don't like D&D, you're almost looked down upon.
"It's very nice to see the environment where getting to be the nerdy one is almost like the cool kid," Snyders said.
Snyders said people tend to dress up as characters they've made because it allows them to show off their creativity and become somebody else for a day.
Looking around the festival, nearly every person shows up in costume. Barrero added that it is one of the few places you can dress up as someone from 500 years ago and nobody bats an eye.
There are also nods to various fandoms across the festival grounds. Between shops dedicated to D&D merchandise and costumes of beloved characters such as Jack Sparrow, the entire festival feels like a celebration of all things nerdy and mythical.
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Barrero said it is "healthy for the mind" to have a place to embrace fantasy. He participates in many hobbies that he deems "whimsical," such as reading comic books, painting mini figurines, playing D&D and going to the Renaissance Festival every year.
"This is a way of showing people there's a space for you," Snyders said. "You are accepted ... You can do whatever you want in this nice, fantastical world."
Once upon a time, tabletop role playing players, Game of Thrones fans, Tolkien lovers and LARPers came together. Fantasy culture and fandoms took the forefront of the Renaissance Festival this year, keeping imagination and whimsy alive.
Huzzah!
Edited by Jack McCarthy, Sophia Braccio and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at ajanusee@asu.edu and follow @lexijanusee on X.
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Lexi Janusee is in her second semester with the State Press. She is a freshman studying Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Theatre. Lexi also works for Blaze Radio, and is an on-air host for Open Mic.
