The second annual Victoria Renaissance Faire will take over Banfield Park on Saturday, bringing costumed performers, live music, merchants and staged combat to the west-side green space for a single-day celebration of historical pageantry and community culture.
What to expect at Banfield Park
Organisers say the fair runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15, at Banfield Park, 521 Craigflower Road. Admission is paid at the gate and the event is open to the public.
Visitors can expect a mix of theatre performances, ballads and wandering entertainers alongside a market of local and travelling vendors selling crafts and period-style goods. Food and drink offerings include mead, ale, wine and other victuals, according to event listings.
- Music and performers: Brianna Bear, Raffordi, Grumble & Gromble, Draa, Jilian, Molly Pocket, Gwen, Nightingale, Side Project and Kristen Grove-White, with Beam N’ Bloom as a wandering performer.
- Competitions and spectacles: a costume contest at 3 p.m. judged by audience reaction, and Buhurt—unscripted, armoured hand-to-hand combat—by the Company of Blue Dragons.
- Market: dozens of vendors offering trinkets, crafts and themed goods.
Indigenous focus and accessibility
The event is hosted by the Victoria Renaissance Faire Society, which has stated a goal of creating an accessible, Indigenous-focused renaissance faire for the city. To centre Indigenous culture within the broader festival, organisers have created an “Alley” that focuses on Indigenous magic and joy, a dedicated space meant to highlight Indigenous perspectives and participation in the event.
“their mission is to bring an accessible, Indigenous-focused ren faire to Victoria.”
That emphasis marks a deliberate effort by the organisers to shape the faire as more than a Eurocentric historical re-enactment and to include community voices that reflect the region’s Indigenous histories and contemporary cultures. After a successful first year, organisers say they hope to make the festival an annual event.
Community and capacity
The faire’s combination of theatrical acts, live music and a competitive Buhurt ring aims to draw a cross-section of audiences — from families and local history enthusiasts to cosplay communities and craft shoppers. The inclusion of a crowd-judged costume contest at 3 p.m. offers an interactive highlight for attendees, while the Company of Blue Dragons’ full-steel Buhurt bouts add a physical spectacle.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, Aug. 15 |
| Time | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Location | Banfield Park, 521 Craigflower Road |
| Admission | Paid at the gate |
For Victoria residents, the faire offers a chance to experience outdoor community programming in a neighbourhood park and to support local performers and vendors. Its stated Indigenous focus and accessibility goals will be closely watched by community members interested in inclusive cultural programming.
Whether you attend as a costumed participant or a curious onlooker, the Victoria Renaissance Faire represents a small but growing piece of the city’s festival calendar — one that organisers hope will continue to grow in scope and community engagement in future years.
