COVID-19: Carolina Renaissance Festival Canceled For 2020 Season

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — Organizers of the Carolina Renaissance Festival have cancelled the eight-week festival this year, citing concerns over COVID-19.

The festival, which typically begins in October, is one of the largest outdoor Renaissance-themed festivals in the country, and includes circus acts, games, rides, jousting knights, falconry and more. The festival grounds are located at 16445 Poplar Tent Road in Huntersville.

"Festival organizers had been hopeful that circumstances would improve so that the event could operate safely; however, health officials have made it clear that COVID-19 is far from over in the Carolinas. Therefore, organizers have made the difficult decision to not open the annual Festival in 2020," organizers said Monday.

Much of the festival experience is socially interactive and "hard to compromise with the necessities of social distancing," festival producer Jeffrey Siegel said in a statement.
Organizers are now looking ahead at 2021, when the festival will resume on Saturdays and Sundays from October 2 through November 21, he said.

"We will be back. The Festival village gates will open again. Our patrons and participants are counting on it,” Siegel said.