Pirates & Wenches Weekend – 2018

It is the final weekend of the faire and Pirates have invaded and overtaken the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow. Monday after the Queen left town on a well-deserved excursion, pirates from across the land slipped into the village and boisterously took control. There was no actual bloodshed just a lot of brandishing of swords and cannons with much revelry. Villagers quickly caved and embraced the new party atmosphere. The pirates are mounting a campaign to bolster their numbers by offering to allow pirate kings and queens ages 5-12 to bring in two friends at no extra charge. This does not include family members as they have been deemed unreliable crewmates.

Join us for one last huzzah and seafaring hijinks! Just $19 for an adult to attend the entire weekend, and $8 for children under 12 years old. Parking is $5.

September 15th-16th

Opening Gate Show – 10:45 am

11 am – 6 pm, Rain or Shine!

Get your tickets today at www.sleepyhollowtickets.com

NEW – Pirate Smoker

If you are 21 or older this year we have started the add-on option for you! If you are having too much fun in the pub and don’t want to leave when the faire day ends you can now stay after hours for this adult only show! The show is 1 hour long and includes performances from the raunchiest members of the cast who have been holding their tongue all day long. Let loose with a free beverage from the bar and good company. Tickets are $12, get yours today at sleepyhollowtickets.com.

NEW – Camping

Onsite camping is a new addition to the Renaissance Faire this year. $5 per person for primitive camping or premium camping for $30 per night (2 people includes, additional cost for more people). Campsites must be registers in advance and can be purchased along with your Weekend Pass at sleepyhollowtickets.com. For more details on camping during the Faire click here.

Weekend Entertainment

For performer biographies please visit our entertainment page.Bawdy Buccaneers

Bell, Book and Canto
Better Than Nun
Danza Mystique
Have Court, Will Travel
Joust Evolution
Merlin’s Magik
Molotov
Orkes and Trolles
Pirates Inc.
Punch & Judy
Scenery Changes
Titania’s Faeries
White Rose Players
William & Blackjack
ScallyWags
Free Company of the White Stag
Sons of Valhalla
Olskipan Vikings
Order of Wrath
Forking Queen
Rachel the Harpist
Shaylee the Fluting Faery
Siren Stephanie d’flute
Starboard Stocks

Weekend Vendors

For vendor descriptions visit our merchant page.

Alchemtree
Archery Field & Sports
Axed In Time
Black Stones Bath Boutique
Buffalo Annie’s
Custom Made Tiaras by Jill
DaSue Dragon Designs
Daughter of Darts
Dead on Target Armory
DeRosa’s Boots
Dorlemagne’s
Dragon Mine
Dundee Bee Honey
EaGenie’s Scots ‘n Knots
Enchanted Gifts
Funny Face Designs by Lori
Fyne Hats by Felicity
Gaia Native
Goin’ a-Viking
Grumpy Gnome Naturals
Gypsy Moon Trading Co.
Hearthstone Arts
Highland Princess Designs
Hissing Serpent
Historic Trade/Sock Zen
Iowa Henna
J & L Trading
Joyas Melita
Kings Carvings
Knight Fantasies
La Gazza Plaza
Lena D. Artistry
Library of Names and Goods
Likely Lotus
Lords of Leather
Mirabelle’s Mirror
Mudbugs Maille
Not the Usual
Nowadays
Queen’s Bibs and Bobs
Rathburn’s Den of Antiquities
Ravenworks the Pirate’s Chest
Razor’s Edge Knife Works
Red Paw Leather
Roadkill Salvage Leatherworks
Simply Nixe
Son of Blades
Spiritual Insights
Tarot Tree
The Bawdy Shoppe
The Dragon’s Horde
The Glass Bee Hive
The Potter’s House
The Whimsy Cellar
Weapons of the Wood
White Knight Arms
Wondercraft Emporium

Kilts & Lucky Lasses Weekend – 2018

Join us for a highland celebration! Kilts & Lucky Lasses weekend at the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow is nearly upon us. Don your kilt for this weekend event that is sure to bring out the kelt, scot, or fae in you. Just $19 for an adult to attend the entire weekend, and $8 for children under 12 years old. Parking is $5.

September 8th-9th

Opening Gate Show – 10:45 am

11 am – 6 pm, Rain or Shine!

Get your tickets today at www.sleepyhollowtickets.com

NEW – Pirate Smoker

NEW – Camping

Weekend Entertainment

For performer biographies please visit our entertainment page.

3 Pints Gone
Bawdy Buccaneers
Better Than Nun
Danza Mystique
Fishbones & Scurvy
Gavin the Crossroads Mystic
Have Court, Will Travel
Joust Evolution
Knotty Bits
The Lute & The Lady
Merlin’s Magik
Molotov
Orkes and Trolles
Scenery Changes
Titania’s Faeries
White Rose Players
William & Blackjack
Free Company of the White Stag
Sons of Valhalla
Olskipan Vikings
Order of Wrath
Forking Queen
Rachel the Harpist
Shaylee the Fluting Faery
Siren Stephanie d’flute
Starboard Stocks

Weekend Vendors

For vendor descriptions visit our merchant page.

La Gazza Plaza
Weapons of the Wood
Custom Made Tiaras by Jill
Rathburn’s Den of Antiquities
Axed In Time
Daughter of Darts
Son of Blades
Funny Face Designs by Lori “The Painting Ladies”
The Whimsy Cellar
Buffalo Annie’s
Dorlemagne’s
The Bawdy Shoppe
Dragon Mine
Mirabelle’s Mirror
Hissing Serpent
Knight Fantasies
Dundee Bee Honey
Grumpy Gnome Naturals
Highland Princess Designs
Joyas Melita
Not the Usual
Dead on Target Armory
Lords of Leather
The Glass Bee Hive
EaGenie’s Scots ‘n Knots
Likely Lotus
Fyne Hats by Felicity
The Potter’s House
DeRosa’s Boots
Lena D. Artistry
Library of Names and Goods
Ravenworks the Pirate’s Chest NEW
Goin’ a-Viking
Razor’s Edge Knife Works
Iowa Henna
Simply Nixe
Mudbugs Maille
Wondercraft Emporium
J & L Trading
Queen’s Bibs and Bobs
The Dragon’s Horde
Roadkill Salvage Leatherworks
Enchanted Gifts
Red Paw Leather
Tarot Tree
Historic Trade/Sock Zen
DaSue Dragon Designs
White Knight Arms
Archery Field & Sports
Kings Carvings
Black Stones Bath Boutique
Gypsy Moon Trading Co.
Spiritual Insights
Nowadays

Closed due to weather – 8/3/18

With the flash flood warning, lightning strikes, and increasingly difficult walking conditions, we have weighed all the safety concerns. After much deliberation, we have determined that the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow will close today due to weather for the first time in its 13 year history. Thank you to everyone who attended this weekend. Despite the constant rain and mud we enjoyed every moment we had with our amazing patrons and we hope to see you all again next weekend for Kilts & Lucky Lasses Weekend.

Viking and Shieldmaidens Weekend – 2018

Don your helm and raise your shield, Viking weekend is upon us! Starting tomorrow (9/1/18) the first weekend of the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow starts with a shield wall and battle cries. Join us for this 3-day event that is sure to bring out the warrior in you. Just $19 for an adult to attend the entire weekend, and $8 for children under 12 years old. Parking is $5

September 1st, 2nd & 3rd

Opening Gate Show – 10:45 am

11 am – 6 pm, Rain or Shine!

Get your tickets today at www.sleepyhollowtickets.com

NEW – Pirate Smoker

NEW – Camping

Weekend Entertainment

For performer biographies please visit our entertainment page.

Bawdy Buccaneers
Bell, Book and Canto
Better Than Nun
Danza Mystique
Gavin the Crossroads Mystic
Have Court, Will Travel
Joust Evolution
Knotty Bits
Merlin’s Magik
Molotov
Orkes and Trolles
Pirates Inc.
Punch & Judy
Titania’s Faeries
White Rose Players
William & Blackjack
Free Company of the White Stag
Skjaldborg
Sons of Valhalla
Olskipan Vikings
Forking Queen
Rachel the Harpist
Shaylee the Fluting Faery
Siren Stephanie d’flute
Starboard Stocks

Weekend Vendors

For vendor descriptions visit our merchant page.

La Gazza Plaza
Weapons of the Wood
Custom Made Tiaras by Jill
Rathburn’s Den of Antiquities
Axed In Time
Daughter of Darts
Son of Blades
Funny Face Designs by Lori (“The Painting Ladies”)
The Whimsy Cellar
Buffalo Annie’s
Dorlemagne’s
The Bawdy Shoppe
Dragon Mine
Mirabelle’s Mirror
Hissing Serpent
Knight Fantasies
Dundee Bee Honey
Grumpy Gnome Naturals
Highland Princess Designs
Joyas Melita
Not the Usual
Dead on Target Armory
Lords of Leather
The Glass Bee Hive
EaGenie’s Scots ‘n Knots
Likely Lotus
Fyne Hats by Felicity
The Potter’s House
DeRosa’s Boots
Lena D. Artistry
Library of Names and Goods
Goin’ a-Viking
Razor’s Edge Knife Works
Iowa Henna
Simply Nixe
Mudbugs Maille
Wondercraft Emporium
J & L Trading
Queen’s Bibs and Bobs
The Dragon’s Horde
Roadkill Salvage Leatherworks
Enchanted Gifts
Red Paw Leather
Tarot Tree
Historic Trade/Sock Zen
DaSue Dragon Designs
White Knight Arms
Archery Field & Sports
Kings Carvings
Black Stones Bath Boutique
Gypsy Moon Trading Co.
Spiritual Insights
Nowadays

Casey’s Coupons

Joining us as a promotions sponsor this year is the Iowa original, Casey’s General Store! Starting August 23rd if you are going in for gas or their beloved pizza, be sure to ask about Renaissance Faire Coupons as well! The following store locations will have a limited number of coupons available starting next Thursday (the 23rd) for $2 off your weekend pass. That’s right, with these coupons you can experience everything the entire weekend has to offer for just $17 for adults (Only usable for adult tickets, processing fees may still apply).

So be sure to visit your Des Moines area Casey’s next week and ask your cashier about their RFSH 2018 coupons! We would love to hear if you picked up a coupon so feel free to tag us and Casey’s on social media!

Volunteer Cast Auditions

Have you always wanted to perform at the Faire but don’t know where to begin? Volunteer cast is a great way to get started in the world of renfaire performance. Auditions are this Sunday, August 5th from 3-6pm in the Feast Hall. Due to campers for state Fair checking in today and the parking lot being very busy with the traffic, the auditions will now be back on the Renaissance Faire site in the feast hall. Navigate to Sleepy Hollow Sports Park at 4051 Dean Ave. Des Moines, IA 50317 and then follow the map below with directions to the cast entrance and where to park.

So what do you need to do to join our Rennie family as a cast member? First, develop your character. You can come up with a concept entirely your own or do some research and create a character description for one of the villager roles that we are looking to fill:

Village Sherriff
Tax Collector
Hag
Bad Baker
Pauper
Beggar
Peasant

Please be sure to bring a description of your character (original concept or specified role) and have a prepared monologue you can present to show us what you can do and how you would interact with our patrons in the streets. If you are a musician and would like to try your hand at playing a strolling village minstrel, we would love to hear from your as well. Bring a prepared piece and a brief character description. We would love to have you audition!

If you are called back we will be having cast meetings every weekend leading up to Faire so you have a chance to meet the rest of the cast and practice your character and performance. All cast positions currently available are volunteer positions though you will be able to accept tips if offered by patrons. Auditions are open from 3-6pm and no scheduling a time is not necessary. However, if you have any questions please be sure to contact our director Buddy at entertainmentdirector@sleepyhollowrenfaire.com.

Ticket Announcement

After changing over to a slightly different ticketing system we are finally almost there, We are excited to make the ticket announcement that 2018 Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow passes will be going on sale mid-July. Keep an eye here and our social media pages for the exact date. Along with our change to weekend passes that we announced a few months ago there are a few more major additions and changes for this year that you should be aware of.

Time Change

For the past 12 years, our faire has always started at 10 am, after much consideration of morning traffic the decision was made to push the opening gate back by one hour. The hours of our event are now 11am-6pm. We hope that this change will address some of the slow times and it will also be making room for a special new after-hours event, see below for more details.

Add-Ons

Camping

Camping at Sleepy Hollow is a new addition in 2018. Camping must be reserved ahead of time along with the purchase of your ticket at sleepyhollowtickets.com. Camping is open the Friday and Saturday nights of each faire weekend, on Labor Day weekend camping is available Sunday night as well.

A primitive camping spot is $5 per person staying at the site. Bring your own tent and bedding and you can set up just outside the Faire. When you check in you will be directed to your campsite and will be able to drive up to it to drop off your equipment. Once set up you will need to return your vehicle to the parking lot. All the campsites are a short walk from the bridge which leads to the Renaissance Faire Village.

A limited number of premium camping spots are available for purchase for $30 per night. These campsites can be used for Motor Homes/travel trailers with electric and water hookups. Each premium spot is for 2 people. If additional people will be staying at the premium site it will be an additional $5 per person. You can also feel free reserve these areas for tent camping if you would like easy access to power and water.

For all the camping details click here.

Smoker – A 21+ After-hours Pub Show!

If you are having too much fun in the pub and don’t want to leave when the faire day ends you can now stay after hours for this adult only show! The show is 1 hour long runs from 6:15pm-7:15pm and includes performances from the raunchiest members of the cast who have been holding their tongue all day long. Let loose with a free beverage from the bar and good company. Purchase your ticket at sleepyhollowtickets.com.

4th of July Parade

Finally, several members of our cast, from knights to pirates and even some fairies will be walking in the Urbandale 4th of July Parade! Come on out to see our performers and get a coupon for $2 off your weekend passes! The parade takes place beginning at 10 a.m. from the Old City Hall on 70th Street north to Aurora Avenue finishing at 82nd and Aurora. Our line up number is 109 so if you want to see us be sure to stay for the whole parade. For more details on the Urbandale Independence Day parade and schedule of events click here.

We hope we will get a chance to see many of you during the parade and wish you and yours a happy 4th of July, from our faire-mily to yours!

2018 Updates

Planning for the 2018 Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow is well underway with many exciting announcements to be made soon. But let’s begin with the basics… The dates for our 13th Annual Faire will remain the first three weekends plus Labor Day! We will also be keeping the same themes for the weekends as last year:

September 1st, 2nd & 3rd – Vikings & Shieldmaidens
September 8th-9th: Kilts & Lucky Lasses
September 15th-16th: Pirates & Wenches
11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine!

We are also excited to announce a major change in pricing for this year, while technically the pricing will stay exactly the same as last year we are moving to a weekend pass model. Meaning, when you buy your ticket it is good for the ENTIRE weekend you purchased it for. So if you attend Labor Day weekend your $19 dollar wristband will get you through the gate for all three days, or for both days if you attend the second or third weekend. Season Passes passes are also available at a per weekend discount.

Ages 5-12 Weekend Pass	$8
Adult Weekend Pass	$19
Adult 3 Weekend (full season) Pass	$48
Parking	$2 per vehicle.
Discounts	Group discounts are available (call Mary at 515-262-4100).

More announcement to come so keep an eye on our website and social media pages for updates, and we’ll see you at the Faire!

-Sleepy Hollow Team

Labor day Weekend – Vikings & Shieldmaidens

Labor day weekend is fast approaching and the village at Sleepy Hollow is a flurry of activity getting everything ready to go. Banners and garlands hang from freshly painted buildings. New signs and attractions getting their finishing touches. Even when you are just driving by on Dean Avenue and see the red and gold pennants flying you can tell great festivities are about to begin.

There are of course always stressful moments and set backs… like the website being down all weekend due to a server issue. But we are back and have lots to talk about! For example, all the exciting performers that you can only see this weekend like:

Skjaldborg – Viking Encampment and Combat group.

Bardmageddon – This bardic trio are a brand new act to Sleepy Hollow this year and appearing this weekend only. Be sure to check out their Youtube channel if you want an early taste.

Pirates Inc. – This weekends visiting pirate crew, there is a new one each week!

Check out our program for a list of everything this weekend has to offer for entertainment, activities, and shopping!

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We are so excited for this weekend and we can’t wait for you to see everything we’ve done. But before we got here are a couple more sneak peaks. See you at the Faire!

~The Sleepy Hollow Team

Benefit Days 2017

How Do Benefit Days Work?

This year the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow has reached out to partner with 3 incredible organizations in our community to host benefit days. To show your support be sure to like them on Social Media and Sign Up for their newsletters. Not only will this keep you in the loop on everything these community warriors are doing, but it is also how your Renfaire tickets can give them very real financial support.

Step 1 – Like their social media pages.

Step 2 – Sign up for their Newsletter.

Step 3 – Keep an eye out. Each of these organizations has a code they will be sharing.

Step 4 – Use that code to buy your tickets in advance for their benefit day and $5 per adult ticket will go straight to them to aid in their efforts supporting and improving our communities.

Youth Emergency Services & Shelter Benefit Days – September 2nd & 3rd

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Youth Emergency Services & Shelter (YESS) meets the critical needs of the community by providing a continuum of quality programs designed to keep children safe and families together. YESS provides a safety net of programs designed to help kids when they need it most, including emergency shelter, crisis nursery care, mental health counseling, and care coordination. As Iowa’s largest provider of emergency services for youth, the agency connects more than 2,200 children per year with healing and hope.

YESS is home to Iowa’s largest and most comprehensive emergency shelter for kids, which provides a safe haven and wraparound support to more than 800 children (newborn through age 17) per year. In addition, the agency cares for hundreds of children in the community to keep them safe and healthy in their own homes. YESS is a nationally-accredited nonprofit organization that uniquely serves the community’s most vulnerable children and creates an environment where families can thrive.

Buy your tickets in advance using the code YESS provides and show your support for this amazing part of our community and bring a little magic into these kids lives with The Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow

Metro Arts Alliance Benefit Day – September 10th

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As a home of the arts in Des Moines, the Renaissance Faire is happy to be partnering with The Metro Arts Alliance! Metro Arts Alliance enriches the quality of life in Greater Des Moines by connecting people to the arts through programming, communication, and support of artists and arts organizations.

As a regional arts service organization, Metro Arts works with the public and our members to ensure that the arts survive and thrive in Greater Des Moines. It is a non-profit that advocates for the arts, cultivates public participation in the arts, and creates partnerships between the artistic, business, and cultural communities.

Animal Rescue League Benefit Day – September 17th

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The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) is Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal shelter, caring for many thousands of pets each year. The ARL serves people and pets from across the state of Iowa through its programs, which include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay/neuter, animal cruelty intervention and much more.

If you have attended the Renaissance Faire at Sleepy Hollow before you know what a pet-friendly place it is. Queen Catherine loves to meet her canine subjects, shoulder reptiles and birds of prey abound, and there are a couple ferrets dressed as dragons that are known to make an appearance every year. So for our final weekend, we have chosen to partner up with the ARL not only to support this wonderful organization but also to bring some new events to the Faire! On Sunday, September 17 the ARL will have a booth where you can meet some adoptable furry friends (depending on availability and weather). Members of ARL will also be judging our first ever Pet Costume Contest with prizes! More information still to come on this so keep an eye out!