The Bucks County Renaissance Faire takes over the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works for a third straight Labor Day weekend, and both previous seasons sold out.

The faire runs Saturday, Sept. 5, through Monday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at 130 E. Swamp Road in Doylestown. Advance tickets, priced at $10 to $20, are available at bucksrenfaire.com. Children 4 and under get in free, and veterans, active-duty military and seniors qualify for discounted admission.

Erin Van Yuga, president and CEO of producer Found Artifact Entertainment LLC, said the team has been building on each year's lessons.

"Each year, our goal is to improve the patron experience from the moment guests arrive to the moment we say, 'Fare thee well,'" Van Yuga told Patch on Aug. 23.

New performers, returning favorites

Two acts debut this year. "The Traveler" Andrew Alesio is a one-man-band who layers hammered dulcimer, drums and world percussion. Storyteller Finnegan Phoenix, who has performed at renaissance festivals across the country, joins the lineup for all three days.

Returning performers include Falconry Girl and her birds of prey, juggler and sword-swallower David Darwin, belly dancer Linwe, Celtic magicians Daniel GreenWolf and Bella, and the Daly Riders equestrian stunt show. All perform across five stages throughout each day.

The Armored Combat Worldwide knights return for unscripted steel-on-steel tournaments. At the Proving Grounds, guests can try archery, axe-throwing and dagger-throwing, or challenge an armored opponent in "Fight the Knight!"

Food, drink and family activities

More than 100 artisan craft and food vendors line the grounds, including DaVinci's Snow Cone Contraption, an 8-foot-tall hamster wheel that spins up frozen treats. Revolution Bees pours traditional and modern meads from Pennsylvania beekeepers, and Crooked Eye Brewery returns as the faire's local pub partner.

Family activities include a mermaid grotto, petting zoo, gem mining, faire-wide scavenger hunts led by Magibleu Enterprises and Adventures from the Wizard's Tower, and a daily costume contest with categories for best adult, best kid and best group. Taylor's Renaissance Country Dance offers interactive group instruction with no experience needed.

The Moravian Pottery & Tile Works Museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and part of a National Historic Landmark district that includes the Mercer Museum and Fonthill, will offer tours and tilemaking demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Parking and shuttle

There is no general parking at TileWorks. The limited on-site spaces are reserved for guests with handicapped plates or placards. Everyone else parks free at the garage at Union Street and North Broad Street in downtown Doylestown and rides a complimentary shuttle that runs continuously to the faire grounds. Organizers partnered with Bux-Mont Transportation this year to expand shuttle capacity.

Advance ticket sales close Monday, Aug. 31, according to Lower Bucks Times reporting. Tickets and the full entertainment schedule are at bucksrenfaire.com.

Coming up

  • Saturday, Sept. 5 – Monday, Sept. 7: Bucks County Renaissance Faire, Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, 130 E. Swamp Road, Doylestown. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily. Tickets $10–$20 at bucksrenfaire.com.