Skagit Valley's first weekend-long Renaissance faire to open Saturday at fairgrounds
MOUNT VERNON - A Skagit Valley Renaissance faire, "Faire du Well," opens Saturday at the Skagit County Fairgrounds.
The two-day faire is expected to bring in thousands of visitors and will feature about 100 merchants, 50 entertainers and 200 volunteers.
The faire will celebrate Shakespeare, music and culture, and visitors can enjoy food, dancing, games, storytelling and a Shakespearean-themed beer garden.
Entertainment includes ventriloquism, Shakespeare improvisation, Shakespeare wrestling scenes, medieval/Renaissance re-creation groups, fire dancers, live musicians, magicians and more.
The faire is the first full-weekend renaissance faire in the Skagit Valley.
"The (Washington Shakespearean Festival) is proud to start a new tradition here, and looks forward to strengthening our collaboration with local cultural, business and governmental agencies throughout the region," GregRobin Smith, Washington Shakespearean Festival Managing Director, said in a news release.
Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan will cut a ribbon to open the faire at 10 a.m. Saturday at the north entrance to the fairgrounds, where he will be joined by staff from U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen's office.
The faire will be 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Discounted tickets are available at washakespeare.org and full-price tickets will be available at the gate.
The Washington Shakespearean Festival is an organization that supports culture, education and community through historical arts. The group performs in Washington, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Oregon.
Smith said the goal of the organization is to establish a year-round living history center with a Renaissance village where artisans can live full-time, and that can host the Washington Shakespearean Festival.
The site would be used by educational groups, film groups and tourists for recreational and educational purposes.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 7:04 AM.