Colorado Renaissance Festival: Gather Round for a Group Day Trip from Denver
Every summer, a stretch of forested hillside in Larkspur, Colorado transforms into a 16th century Tudor village. Thousands of Denverites make the pilgrimage down I-25 to take part.
The Colorado Renaissance Festival is one of the most beloved summer traditions on the Front Range offering jousting, fire breathers, costumed performers, enormous turkey legs, and over 200 artisan vendors make for a day unlike anything else in Colorado.
If you've been before, you already know how special it is. If you haven't, this is the summer to go, especially with a group.
Here's everything you need to know to plan an epic Colorado Renaissance Festival group trip from Denver in 2026.
The Basics
The 2026 Colorado Renaissance Festival runs June 13 through August 2, weekends only (Saturdays and Sundays), with gates open from 10 AM to 6:30 PM. The Faire is open rain or shine, so dress accordingly in case Colorado's afternoon storm season kicks in.
The festival is held at 650 W. Perry Park Avenue in Larkspur, CO, about 40 miles south of Denver via I-25. Take Exit 174 (or Exit 172 coming from the south). Simple enough on a map, but that drive is where a lot of groups run into trouble.
The Parking and Traffic Problem (and the Easy Solution)
Here's what most first timers don't know until they're already stuck: Ren Faire traffic is legendary.
I-25 backs up, the designated lots fill early, and arriving after 10 AM means a long walk from overflow parking in the heat. Getting eight people in four separate cars to coordinate meetup spots in a chaotic parking field is exactly as frustrating as it sounds.
The solution is simple: rent a party bus and ride down together.
Jedi Charter runs group transportation from Denver to Larkspur, so your party members stick together. You can skip the parking chaos entirely, and start the fun before you ever set foot through the festival gates.
Whether you're going with a friend group, a family, or a cosplay crew, a private bus is the move.
Pick Your Weekend: The 2026 Themed Weekends
One of the best parts of planning a Colorado Renaissance Festival group trip is choosing your themed weekend. Each of the eight weekends has its own theme with special events, costume contests, and featured performers. This is the perfect hook for getting your group excited and coordinated on costumes well in advance.
Here's the full 2026 lineup:
- June 13–14 — Magical Fantasy Weekend (First Responder Appreciation Weekend — BOGO adult tickets at the box office for firefighters and police)
- June 20–21 — Pirates Invasion Weekend
- June 27–28 — Celtic Weekend
- July 4–5 — Children's Weekend
- July 11–12 — Wine & Revelry Weekend
- July 18–19 — Love & Romance Weekend
- July 25–26 — Time Traveler Weekend
- August 1–2 — A Final Huzzah
Pirates Invasion Weekend is a smash hit with groups. It’s easy to costume, wildly fun, and the energy from the crowd is electric. Celtic Weekend draws a passionate crowd of kilt-wearers and folk music fans. And if you're going with little ones, Children's Weekend in early July is tailor made to suit families.
What to Expect at the Festival
The Colorado Renaissance Festival is massive. You’ll arrive at a a permanent Tudor style village spanning acres of forested terrain with 10+ stages of entertainment.
Here's a quick rundown of what your group will find:
Jousting — The centerpiece of the Ren Faire experience. Full armor jousting tournaments draw big crowds, so stake out your spots early.
Live Entertainment — Fire breathers, acrobats, jugglers, comedy acts, hypnotists, knife swallowers, storytellers, and bands play throughout the day across multiple stages. There's genuinely never a dull moment.
Artisan Market — Over 200 juried artisan vendors selling handmade costumes, swords, jewelry, leather goods, crowns, woodwork, musical instruments, and more. Budget extra time (and money) here.
Food & Drink — Roast turkey legs, steak on a stake, fresh-baked goods, mead, wine, and more. Important: food and drink vendors at the festival are cash only. Hit an ATM before you leave Denver, your group will thank you.
Costume Rentals — Not sure what to wear? Costume rentals are available on site at the Faire, so you can come in street clothes and leave looking like a proper medieval lord or lady.
Tips for a Great Group Day Trip
Book tickets in advance. The 2025 season sold out for the first time in the festival's nearly 50-year history. Don't assume you can buy at the gate — get your group's tickets early.
Pick a themed weekend and commit. The more your group leans into the theme, the better the day gets. Coordinated group costumes for Pirates Weekend or Celtic Weekend turn a fun outing into a memorable event.
Bring cash. We can't stress this enough. Food and drink are cash only. An ATM run midday is a buzzkill.
Wear comfortable shoes. The festival grounds are expansive and the terrain is uneven. Leave the heels in the bus.
Start early. Gates open at 10 AM. The earlier you arrive, the better your position for the first jousting tournament and the easier it is to move through the artisan market before it gets crowded.
Denver to Larkspur: Make the Ride Part of the Adventure
The Colorado Renaissance Festival is the kind of outing that's more fun when you go big on it. And going big starts before you even get there.
At Jedi Charter, we believe the ride to the show can be just as fun as the show itself. Our private party buses and group transportation take the logistics off your plate. No designated driver, no convoy of cars trying to stay together on I-25, no parking lot chaos. Your group loads up in Denver, and we handle everything else.
It's a Denver to Larkspur Ren Faire day trip the right way.
Whether you're organizing a birthday outing, a cosplay crew adventure, or a summer group day trip, we'd love to get you there.
Looking for more Denver area group day trip ideas? For another unique trip, check out our post about Cheyenne Frontier Days. And if you're planning your full summer events calendar, don't miss our Colorado Summer Festivals post for the best events around Colorado this season.
