Sherwood Forest Faire LLC

What Sherwood Forest Faire LLC does

Sherwood Forest Faire LLC is a privately-held medieval-themed entertainment and hospitality company founded in 2010 and headquartered in McDade, Texas. The company operates a 25-acre permanent medieval-style village featuring over 100 buildings — including stages, pubs, merchant shoppes, wedding venues, and a complete castle (Nottingham Castle) — in the Lost Pines section of Central Texas, approximately 35 miles east of Austin. Its flagship offering is an 8-weekend annual Renaissance faire (March through April, 17 days total) featuring over 150 live performances per day by 40+ stage acts and an artisan marketplace of 170+ vetted vendors offering handcrafted goods.

The business generates revenue from six primary streams: event admission tickets (sold via Etix.com), artisan and vendor booth rentals (with craft jury acceptance), on-site food and beverage concessions, primitive camping fees, wedding and event venue rentals at three distinctive venues with packages ranging $1,000–$30,000, and overnight castle accommodations at $180–$280/night across five themed bedrooms. Additional revenue is contributed by the annual Friends of Faire season pass program, the December Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival, the September Sherwood Celtic Music Festival, summer camp programs, and year-round off-season Gatherings and community events. The company has 54 employees and operates with significant volunteer support.

Marketing and distribution rely on a multi-channel approach centered on a Constant Contact email newsletter, an active Facebook presence, a content-rich website (sherwoodforestfaire.com), and word-of-mouth referrals within the Central Texas market (Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Bryan/College Station). Ticketing is fulfilled through Etix.com. The company has no proprietary technology platforms beyond a Sherwood Scheduler web app for performance schedules; technology plays an operational rather than differentiating role. Partnerships include RESCU Foundation (a nonprofit supporting Renaissance Faire performer health) and Knights of the Grail (a veteran equine therapy nonprofit), while Hynafol rents the venue for a five-day LARP event each November.

Name

Sherwood Forest Faire LLC

Legal name

Sherwood Forest Faire LLC

Website

https://sherwoodforestfaire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Event Entertainment

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (713110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs (MPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Medieval renaissance faire
• Live entertainment events
• Artisan marketplace
• Themed wedding venues
• Festival camping

Headquarters

HQ city

McDade

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Admission Tickets: The primary revenue stream is ticket sales for the main medieval faire (open weekends March-April) and Celtic Yuletide Festival (December). Tickets are non-date-specific and valid any weekend within the current season. Also sold: individual day passes, weekend passes, and season passes (Friends of Faire).
2. Artisan/Vendor Booth Rentals: Over 170 artisans and merchants rent booth space to sell handcrafted goods including leatherwork, pottery, glasswork, jewelry, woodwork, armor, and more. Vendors undergo a craft jury acceptance process and pay booth fees.
3. Food and Beverage Sales: On-site food and beverage sales including medieval-themed fare, drinks, and specialty items from various food vendors throughout the village.
4. Camping Fees: Patron camping fees for general camping, clan/reserved camping, and RV/trailer sites. Friends of Faire badge holders receive camping included with membership.
5. Wedding and Event Venue Rentals: Year-round castle and venue rentals for weddings, handfastings, corporate retreats, birthday parties, and other events. Wedding packages range from $1,000 to $30,000. Castle room rentals (five bedrooms) at peak rates from $235-$280/night and off-peak from $180-$225/night.
6. Friends of Faire Season Passes: Annual season pass membership (Friends of Faire) that includes admission all 17 days, camping all 8 weekends, merchant discounts, exclusive events, PVC ID badge, and complimentary Celtic Yuletide Festival camping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sherwood Forest Faire operates a permanent 25-acre medieval-style village in Central Texas that hosts an annual 17-day Renaissance Faire (weekends March–April) featuring over 150 daily live performances, a 170-vendor artisan marketplace, themed food and beverage, and attractions such as full-contact jousting, falconry, and swordplay. The company also operates the Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival, year-round wedding and corporate event venue rentals at Nottingham Castle, overnight castle accommodations in five themed bedrooms, on-site patron camping, summer camp programs, and off-season community gatherings.

Product overview

Sherwood Forest Faire LLC operates a multi-faceted entertainment and hospitality business centered around its flagship 8-weekend annual Medieval Renaissance Faire (March-April) held on a 25-acre medieval-style village in Central Texas. The portfolio includes the Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival (December) and Celtic Music Festival (September), wedding and event venue rentals at Nottingham Castle, overnight castle accommodations in five themed bedrooms, on-site primitive camping facilities, and summer camp programs. The company also offers a mobile scheduling application for patrons. All offerings are tied together by immersive medieval-themed entertainment featuring over 150 daily performances and 170+ artisan vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival: Annual December festival celebrating Celtic music, Scottish Highland Games, archery, and Christmas festivities.
• Hynafol

Products and services

• Sherwood Forest Faire (Annual Renaissance Faire) An annual 17-day medieval Renaissance festival held weekends March–April on a 25-acre medieval-style village, featuring over 150 live performances per day across more than 40 stage acts, full-contact jousting, falconry, swordplay, an artisan marketplace of 170+ handcraft vendors, themed food and beverage, and attractions for families and adults.
• Sherwood Celtic Yuletide Festival A multi-day December celebration of Celtic music and culture featuring 30+ live bands, Scottish Highland Games, archery tournaments, artisan vendors, mead tasting, and Santa Claus appearances, held on the Sherwood Forest Faire grounds.
• Sherwood Celtic Music Festival An annual Celtic music festival held in September featuring 16+ live bands, Scottish Highland Games, archery tournaments, and artisan vendors on the Sherwood Forest Faire grounds.
• Wedding and Event Venue Rentals Year-round rental of three medieval-themed wedding and event venues: Maid Marian's Chapel (consecrated Christian church), Seven Sisters Sacred Stone Circle (Druidic sanctuary), and Nottingham Castle's Great Hall (temperature-controlled medieval hall seating up to 125 guests). Wedding packages range from $1,000 to $30,000 and the venues are also available for vow renewals, handfastings, corporate retreats, birthday parties, and bachelor/bachelorette events.
• Nottingham Castle Accommodations Five luxury themed castle bedrooms (Normandy, Aquitaine, Anjou, Gascony, Brittany) available for overnight stays with peak rates from $235 to $280 per night and off-peak rates from $180 to $225 per night, plus a 13% occupancy tax and a 2-night minimum during Faire season.
• Campground Facilities On-site patron camping including general camping, quiet camping, and reserved clan camping areas, plus RV and trailer sites. Facilities include showers, water stations, port-a-johns, and dumpsters; no electrical hookups available. Friends of Faire pass holders receive camping included all 8 weekends.
• Summer Camps Two summer camp programs: Grown Up Camp (adult-focused) and Youth Camp (for children), held during June and July with medieval-themed activities and immersive experiences on the Sherwood Forest Faire grounds.
• Off-Season Gatherings Year-round community gatherings held on the Sherwood grounds, including May Gathering, July/August Gathering, September Gathering, the Hynafol five-day LARP event, and Work Weekend & Job Fair, used to maintain engagement with volunteers, performers, and prospective attendees between faire seasons.
• Friends of Faire Season Passes Annual season-pass membership (Friends of Faire) that includes admission all 17 faire days, camping all 8 weekends, merchant discounts, exclusive events, a PVC ID badge, and complimentary Celtic Yuletide Festival camping.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• RESCU FoundationminorOthersRESCU Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to promote and maintain the health and medical well-being of Renaissance Faire participants. Each year on Spring Break Friday, Sherwood hosts a RESCU Rally fundraiser including auctions, dinner, entertainment, and beverages to support this organization.
• Knights of the GrailminorOthersKnights of the Grail is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing equine therapy for military veterans, teaching them to compete in Mounted Joust Games. They perform at Sherwood's Joust Arena demonstrating lance, sword, and spear skills from horseback. Sherwood hosts spear throw games with proceeds benefiting this organization.
• HynafolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHynafol is a third-party company that produces a five-day LARP (Live Action Role Play) event at Sherwood Forest Faire grounds in November. They rent the Sherwood venue as their event space, with ticket sales and registration handled by Hynafol. The Hynafol and Sherwood communities have blended well over the years.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Scarborough Renaissance Festival: Long-running Texas Renaissance faire (Waxahachie, TX) targeting the DFW market. Same themed entertainment, artisan marketplace, and seasonal operating model; competes with SFF for North/Central Texas families and group bookings.
• Texas Renaissance Festival: The largest Renaissance festival in the U.S., also operating in Texas. Directly competes for Texas faire-goers, vendor talent, and sponsor dollars; structurally identical business model (permanent themed village, artisan marketplace, food, camping, seasonal tickets).

Regional players

• Carolina Renaissance Festival: North Carolina-based Renaissance faire (Huntersville, NC) operating fall weekends with themed entertainment, jousting, and artisan vendors. Closely mirrors SFF's format; serves the Carolinas market.
• Minnesota Renaissance Festival: One of the largest Renaissance festivals in the U.S. (Shakopee, MN). Operates the same permanent-village, artisan-vendor, themed-show model across an extended summer season; comparable scale and operating cadence to SFF's core faire.
• King Richard's Faire: Massachusetts-based Renaissance faire (Carver, MA) operating fall weekends. Closely matches SFF's themed village, live entertainment, and artisan vendor format; serves the New England market rather than Central Texas.
• Bristol Renaissance Faire: Major Wisconsin-based Renaissance faire (Kenosha, WI) running summer weekends. Closely comparable product (period-authentic village, artisan marketplace, jousting, stage acts) but operates in a different regional market from SFF.
• Maryland Renaissance Festival: One of the longest-running and largest U.S. Renaissance festivals (Annapolis, MD). Comparable immersive themed entertainment, artisan marketplace, and seasonal operating model; competing for East Coast attendees rather than SFF's Central Texas market.
• Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire: Connecticut-based Renaissance faire operating summer weekends. Smaller-scale but format-comparable themed entertainment and artisan vendor experience to SFF; serves the New England market.
• Ohio Renaissance Festival: Ohio-based Renaissance festival (Waynesville, OH) operating fall weekends. Closely comparable themed entertainment, artisan marketplace, and seasonal operating model to SFF; different regional market.
• Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire: Pennsylvania-based Renaissance faire (Manheim, PA) with a permanent themed village, artisan marketplace, and seasonal operating schedule. Highly comparable product experience to SFF; serves the Mid-Atlantic market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sherwoodforestfaire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sherwood-forest-faire-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sherwood Forest Faire LLC