Each October, the Kingdom of Riverssance takes over Riverside Park and
transforms it into a magical experience straight out of the 16th century!
Until this year though, I had not had the opportunity to experience the
wonderful Kingdom of Riverssance myself. I got to visit the 2024 Kingdom of Riverssance and it was really fun. Based on my research online and my visit to the festival, here's what
families should know about the Kingdom of Riverssance:
What is the Kingdom of Riverssance?
The Kingdom of Riverssance is Sioux City's annual renaissance festival, held
the first weekend of October each year. The 2024 Kingdom of Riverssance will take place on Saturday, October 5th and Sunday, October 6th, 2024, beginning at 10am. It is organized by many of the same
creative people as the Rivercade Festival in summer! The Kingdom of Riverssance features a kids zone, live entertainment, food, drink, and souvenir vendors, plus lots of creative surprises. I'll dive into each of those categories a bit more below!
Where is the Kingdom of Riverssance?
The Kingdom of Riverssance takes place at Sioux City's Riverside Park at 1301 Riverside Boulevard in Sioux City, Iowa. There is ample free parking in the park's many lots but be prepared to walk a while if you aren't there early!
Fairy Forest at the Kingdom of Riverssance
The Fairy Forest is the official Kids Zone where the magic really happens for the
youngest attendees (ages 2 to 12) at the Kingdom of Riverssance (kids are also welcome in the
rest of the kingdom except for a few select areas where 21+ beverages are
sold.) There, kids can enjoy
- crafts
- games
- bubbles
- stories
- and lots of other fun!
The Kingdom of Riverssance puts together the Fairy Forest and I've heard in particular a volunteer named Miranda did much of the work, so thank you and good job to Miranda and her team!
The entire picnic shelter in the Fairy Forest was full of craft supplies that kids could use to make wands, masks, catapults, and more. My kids were delighted at all the options!
Within the Fairy Forest, entertainers King Oberon and the Fairy Queen put on a great show during the event and are so colorful and charming.
Another great feature in the Fairy Forest is several "quiet tents" where families can go should they need to change diapers, feed bottles (one even has a bottle warmer!) or otherwise tend to baby in a way they prefer to be more private, which is a really thoughtful touch.
One of the most special experiences at the Kingdom of Riverssance in the Fairy Forest is the Fairy Queen's Tea Party each afternoon. In 2024 this was an additional $5 per child (free for supervising parents) and that included tea and cookies for the kids, plus some live, interactive entertainment. I don't know how much the storyline changes from year to year so I won't give too much away, but the kids totally ate it up. If we go again in future years, I will definitely take my girls to the Fairy Queen's Tea again.
Entertainment at the Kingdom of Riverssance
2024 is "the year of the joust" at the Kingdom of Riverssance, and there's actual armored, mounted jousting on horses, as promised by this name! There's also a children's joust with pool noodles and stick horses, which is so cute and creative. King Oberon and the Fairy Queen's court organized the kids' joust, and it was adorable. The kids rode on stick horses and had pool noodle "lances" to use for tasks like lancing rings and knocking a pumpkin off a pirate's head. The smiles and giggles were abudant!
There is also live music and other live entertainment throughout the park
during the Kingdom of Riverssance including a falconry show that included components of raptor conservation education as well as impressive entertainment value, plus a sword show, bawdy pirates, and more (expect innuendo at the renaissance faire. the performers intend it to be generally subtle enough that it'll be over kids' heads but do be ready to redirect if a bit of irreverent humor is not what you want your kids to hear. I didn't personally hear any myself though.) All the vendors and many villagers are in costume and in character throughout the park to enhance the experience too, and we met the humble and kind mud man, many royals, and a bumblebee fairy who blessed us with yellow glitter!
Vendors at the Kingdom of Riverssance
There are a wide variety of food and drink vendors at the Kingdom of Riverssance, so be sure to bring some extra cash if you'd like to get a treat or a meal while you are there.
Beyond the food and drink, there are also dozens of creative vendors selling all sorts
of entertaining wares for those who would like a fun gift or souvenir. I saw lots of great things, including fairy crowns and wings, wooden toy weaponry, 3d printed dragons, t-shirts, and much more. You could easily spend all day just perusing the booths to admire all the wares!
What to wear or bring to the Kingdom of Riverssance
Everyone is welcome at the Kingdom of Riverssance regardless of garb. Come in
jeans or sweats or whatever you're wearing that day if you'd like! Most
attendees wear their standard modern attire. But if you'd like to dress up,
that's also welcome! At the Kingdom of Riverssance, people who choose to dress
up most commonly dress in approximately 16th century garb, as fantasy
characters (think hobbits, wizards, elves, and fairies) or as pirates. This can
be as realistic or as imaginative as you would like! I told my kids it's a "princesses and pirates party" taking over the whole park, which they of course thought sounded awesome. They wore princess dresses from Walmart and fit right in, and so did the kids in standard 2024 apparel
Shop your closet: If you want to dress slightly Renaissance-ish without buying a whole new wardrobe, the currently-trendy peasant style dresses or tops plus a corset belt and some simple short boots would be super easy and cute. I took a hybrid approach just wore a peasant dress and sandals!
For what to bring, I recommend sunscreen, a camera or your phone, changing supplies if needed, and water to drink.
I also asked specifically and strollers, diaper bags, and sippy cups are all welcome in the Kingdom of Riverssance, so don't hesitate to bring what you need to keep your kids well cared for.
More about the Kingdom of Riverssance
To find out more about the Kingdom of Riverssance, visit
the Sioux City Rivercade website
or connect with the
Kingdom of Riverssance on FacebookTickets are available at the 2024 Kingdom of Riverssance for $15 per adult or teen 13+, or $5 per child 6-13. Babies and children who are 5 or younger get into the Kingdom for FREE! The King's Smoker 21+ experience tickets are $25 per person. Prior to October 1st, 2024, reduced price teen/adult admission tickets (not including the King's Smoker) are also available at local Hy-Vee stores for $11.
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