I love being at the Michigan Renaissance Festival right at 10am… they put on a show before they even open the gates. You’re not even in yet, and they’re already harassing you… but in a fun way. Once inside the gates, the festivities at the May Pole begin shortly after 10. The king and queen are there and everything is splendid at the Michigan RenFest in Holly. My day is already off to a great start. Scroll down to get straight to the pics or read on and find out some things you may not know about the Michigan RenFest.
On my latest visit, I saw something I hadn’t seen before: a cat chilling on a leash. Opening weekend is Pirates and Pups, so I was a little surprised to see a cat. The cat is named Morf. Morf and his owner have a show at RenFest. How cool is that? You can see Morf the Magnificent and Captain Sean on the Mother Oak Stage. After all these years of going to the Michigan RenFest, I still never know what I’m going to see.
Put Some Clothes On
I made my way over to Hearts Delight. This is my go-to for costuming. I’ve been treated well every year by these wonderful people, so naturally, I return every year. Once again, they hooked me up in an amazing outfit, and off I went to enjoy the festival in proper garb. I love dressing up for RenFest and I love checking out everyone else’s outfits.
We bumped into Zach The Cleaner of Glass (window washer) and his wife, Spring at Hair Flips. The owner, Holly, was a super cool lady. Like many of the shops you’ll find at RenFest, Holly is a local business owner. I have a ton of respect for her hustle.
The OG Tomato Guy
From there we headed over to a place I knew in the 90s as Vegetable Vengence. You will find it tucked away in the bottom left corner of the festival grounds. You pay money to throw tomatoes at a guy who is insulting you like no other. I loved visiting Vegetable Vengence even though I knew I was running the risk of getting ripped to shreds. Some (most) of what was said would not be cool in today’s world. We met Shawn, the owner of the newly reincarnated Tomato Torment. Shawn is the nicest insulting yet wholesome tomato guy you’re ever gonna find. He is also wicked smart. Shawn has a background in stand-up and improv. He incorporated cameras into his stand and has over 100,000 YouTube subscribers (including me) as the OG Tomato Guy. Go see him and throw some tomato pieces. Support insults and general bad behavior.
We also went to jail, hit up the pickle man, checked out some shows, and met the Michigan Viking Alliance. The Michigan RenFest has been expanding on the jousting side. They have a living history encampment at RenFest. I love that these people dedicate their time trying to authentically show you what life was like for Vikings. And let’s never forget about the SOUNDS of the Shire. I love the bands.
The Michigan Renfest in Holly Live on Facebook
We also took a bunch of pictures of pirates with their pups and Austin, from the WCSX promotions team had his traditional turkey leg. Scroll down and let the picture bring these moments to life. I love the Michigan RenFest in Holly. It’s truly one of my favorite places.
Michigan RenFest in Holly Gallery 2023
