🏰 Canadian & Nearby Festivals — Scholz Master List 2025 Historical Version

Ontario — Medieval & Renaissance

🧝 Robin in the Hood Medieval Festival – Elmira, ON (Early May)

  • Trivia: Founded in the late 1990s by local teachers and theatre folks; combines archery, knights, and “Ye Olde Food Court.” Teaches through play like medieval morality pageants.

👑 The Royal Medieval Faire – Waterloo, ON (Mid September)

  • Trivia: Since 1998, incorporates Shakespearean improvisation and drama grads; merges academia and festival performance.

🦅 Oxford Renaissance Festival – Woodstock, ON (~June 14–16, 2025)

  • Trivia: Features falconry and siege weapon demos, some staffed by engineering students. Cross-border performers from Michigan sometimes appear.

⚔️ Upper Canada Village Medieval Festival – Morrisburg, ON (Early June)

  • Trivia: Medieval festival inside a 19th-century village; small events continue even if main festival is not confirmed for 2025.

🎭 Country Renaissance Festival – Milton, ON (Early June, defunct)

  • Trivia: Crew later helped found Ontario Pirate Festival and Oxford Ren Fest. One of the first to blend vendors with combat displays.

🧚 Faery Fest’s Enchanted Ground – Guelph, ON (Mid June, defunct 2016)

  • Trivia: Blurred Celtic folklore and cosplay; hosted fantasy writing workshops and druid-inspired ceremonies.

🪙 Treasureventure – Rockton, ON (Mid June, defunct)

  • Trivia: “Ren fair meets scavenger hunt”; ahead of its time combining LARP and escape-room style adventure.

⚜️ Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival – Osgoode Village, ON (Early July, hiatus 2019)

  • Trivia: Volunteers built a full “kingdom” with annual story arcs; Dragon Quest storyline made local CBC coverage in 2017.

☠️ Pirate Festival / Ontario Pirate Festival – Guelph region, ON (Aug 2–4, 2025)

  • Trivia: Formerly Milton; pirate village, shanties, fencing demos, rum tastings; several Ontario ren-faire bands got their start here.

🛡️ Glengarry Renaissance Festival – Maxville, ON (May 31–June 1, 2025)

  • Trivia: Scottish village in 1500s theme; founded by reenactors; local Scottish heritage ensures authentic accent and performances.

⚖️ Barony of Ben Dunfirth (SCA) – Hamilton/Brantford/Burlington area

  • Trivia: Dedicated to pre-17th-century skills, combat, and calligraphy; active since 1970s.

🏰 Black Creek Pioneer Village Medieval Weekend – Toronto area (June 20–22, 2025)

  • Trivia: 1800s village goes medieval for one weekend; juxtaposition of red-brick Victorians and chainmail is uniquely charming.

🎺 Fergus Medieval Faire – Fergus, ON (July 26, 2025)

  • Trivia: Small-town Celtic pageantry; includes pipes, tartans, bardic storytelling.

Ontario — Cosplay / Anime / Geek Historical

Anime North – Toronto, ON (May 23–25, 2025, historical since 1997)

  • Trivia: Founded by seven anime fan-clubs; Saturday Masquerade is a major cosplay contest; bands can reach anime/manga audiences. (animenorth.com)

Cosplay Matsuri – Toronto, ON (Aug 12, 2017)

  • Trivia: Ontario Science Centre hosted panels, workshops, guest speakers; part of Unplugged Expo × Cosplay Matsuri in 2019; perfect for crossover music acts. (videogamecons.com)

Atomic Lollipop – Toronto, ON (July 17–19, 2015)

  • Trivia: “Canada’s weirdest festival”; carnival rides, cosplay, burlesque, DJ sets, lightsaber battles; included Prozzäk reunion show and an Elijah Wood DJ set. (newswire.ca)

ConBravo! – Hamilton, ON (July, last held 2019)

  • Trivia: Started 2010; covers anime, gaming, YouTube personalities, new-media culture; hosted Doug Walker & James Rolfe joint appearance; ideal for bands blending themed visuals and music. (en.wikipedia.org)

British Columbia

BC Renaissance Festival – Langley, BC (Late July, status uncertain)

  • Trivia: Small beginnings in mid-2000s; “merry anarchy” vibe; semi-dormant now.

Nova Scotia

Privateer Days – Liverpool, NS (July)

  • Trivia: Maritime heritage festival celebrating 18th-century privateers; one of Canada’s oldest maritime festivals.

Pirates of Jeddore Festival – Mitchell Cove, NS (September)

  • Trivia: Family-oriented pirate folklore event along Nova Scotia’s Atlantic coast.

Nearby U.S. (within ~200 km of Canada)

Michigan Renaissance Festival – Holly, MI (Aug 16–Sept 28, 2025)

  • Trivia: Large show, Ontario performers cross-border; one original jouster became Game of Thrones fight choreographer.

Sterling Renaissance Festival – Sterling, NY (July–Aug 2025)

  • Trivia: Oldest continuously running fair in North America; Elizabethan village hand-built over decades.

Vermont Renaissance Faire – Stowe, VT (June 21–22, 2025)

  • Trivia: Cozy fair with “edu-tainment”; includes Roman, Viking, Celtic displays.

This list now blends medieval/renaissance, pirate, cosplay/anime, and geek culture festivals, with historical record entries clearly marked.


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