What to Know
- The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale
- $42 adult; $21 child; through May 19, 2024 (Saturdays and Sundays only)
- Pirates & Marketplace Weekend is April 13-14; Cottagecore Weekend happens April 20-21; RENNCON, a cosplay celebration, is April 27-28
Pirates are used to sloshy adventures, which is just what the second weekend of April may turn out to be around the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale.
That's where the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire is taking place every weekend through May 19. And while the rousing renaissance-inspired calls of "what ho!" and "huzzah" will keep the merriment mighty medieval, the festival is also known for its special, exuberantly outlandish Theme Weekends.
The first dress-up-and-party event is just ahead, on April 13 and 14, which may be quite damp around Irwindale and much of Southern California due to an incoming storm.
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The timing is fitting: Pirates are the theme, so don your favorite tri-cornered hat and lucky stockings and make for the outdoor gathering (but, yes, check social for any necessary updates on the event).
Pirate trivia, the School of Seafaring, a good-natured hunt for treasure, and the opportunity to learn to tie sailor knots are on the yo-ho-roster.
But avast: You'll want to not set sail quite yet from the whole Theme Weekend realm, for more Ren Faire frolicking is on the horizon.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Cottagecore Weekend, which summons sylvan style on April 20 and 21, is all about "woodland attire" and straight-from-the-forest fashion. Maypole dancing, cottage cooking, and other wholesome pursuits will weave through the weekend.
And RENNCON, a cosplay-centered spectacular, returns on the final weekend of April 2024. Dress as your favorite superhero, anime character, or literary star and swan by other well-costumed attendees.
There's a Time Traveler Costume Contest, too, if you're planning on a steampunk-cool get-up.
Tickets and information may be found at the Ren Faire site, time travelers, woodland creatures, and mateys; discover more now about the spring celebration's sartorial splendor.