Carolina Renaissance Festival Returns to Huntersville for Annual Event

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is open to the public in Huntersville through November 22, 2026. The event runs on weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. within the 25-acre Fairhaven village. Visitors can walk through stone cottages, colorful tents, and forested meadows while viewing period-specific architecture.

Programs include jousting, gymnastics, fire performances, and animal interactions. Musicians play guitars and harps for attendees. The festival offers five new shows this season alongside returning attractions like the Living Mermaids exhibit and Da Vinci's Flying Machine. Guests can purchase food items such as turkey legs, bread bowls with hot soup, funnel cakes, and caramel apples. Beverage options include craft beer, wine, champagne, and mimosas.

Special themed weekends are scheduled for specific dates. Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights will take place from October 31 to November 1. Pirates Christmas Weekend is set for November 7 and 8. Time Travelers' Weekend is scheduled for November 14 and 15. The season concludes with the Joust to the Death, where armored knights compete on horseback.

In a related development for the Lake Norman area, several new food and beverage establishments have opened or celebrated milestones. Hunter's Bagels opened in Cornelius and is operated by Brandon Kurz and Andrew Roth. The shop features a lodge-inspired design and serves fresh breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, and wraps. The owners are transplants from South Florida with New York roots and a family background in the food industry.

Melagrana Café recently opened in Huntersville. The European-style venue serves espresso drinks, matcha, tea, and specialty beverages. Its menu also includes croissants, cheesecakes, cookies, pastries, and individual desserts. The space features a spacious dining area for patrons.

The Alleyway, a new cocktail lounge in Cornelius, is located next to the restaurant Harp & Crown. It is owned by the same group that runs Harp & Crown. The lounge offers about 20 specialty cocktails, live jazz music, and monthly themed parties. The interior design reflects a 1920s atmosphere.

The Serve Pickleball + Kitchen in Cornelius recently marked its first anniversary with a Neon Night event. Kindred in Davidson reopened for dinner service on October 20. The restaurant had closed for repairs in May following a small fire. Travis Dancy serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Visit Lake Norman, which is promoting these local businesses and activities.