New Hampshire Renaissance Faire (Weekend 2)

The New Hampshire Renaissance Faire returns for its second weekend on May 16th and 17th, 2026, running from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days at its outdoor grounds in Fremont, a small southern New Hampshire town about 35 miles north of Boston and 20 miles inland from Hampton Beach. If you caught opening weekend and want another round, the second weekend typically brings fresh performer rotations and a slightly looser, more relaxed crowd than the opening-day rush. If this is your first visit of the season, you are not walking into a repeat performance of something that already happened.

The faire runs across an outdoor wooded site with multiple performance stages, a marketplace of craft vendors, and roaming characters in period costume throughout the grounds. Expect jousting demonstrations, sword fighting, juggling acts, and outdoor theater with a comedic bent that plays well for adults and kids in equal measure. Artisan vendors sell handmade goods ranging from leather work and jewelry to period-accurate costumes, and food vendors keep the pace comfortable with no need to leave the grounds for a meal. Ticket prices vary by age and whether you purchase in advance or at the gate, so check the official faire website before you go to lock in the better rate.

The timing works in your favor in mid-May. Southern New Hampshire is in full spring foliage by the third week of the month, temperatures typically land in the mid-50s to low-60s during the day, and the evenings cool off fast, so bring a layer you can tie around your waist during the warmer afternoon hours. Rain is a realistic possibility on any May weekend in New England, and the faire generally runs in light rain, but wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy and keep a compact rain shell in your bag.

Good to know: Fremont is a small town with limited parking infrastructure, so arriving close to the 10:00 a.m. opening keeps your options open and gets you ahead of the mid-morning crowd that typically peaks around 11:30 a.m. The faire is entirely outdoors, which means the grounds can get uneven and soft after rain, so strollers work better on dry weekends. Dogs are worth checking on before you bring them, as pet policies at outdoor faires vary year to year.

If you’re going with kids: The faire skews strongly family-friendly, and younger kids tend to fixate on the costumed characters and interactive demonstrations long before they notice the craft vendors. Budget extra time near any stage where live combat demonstrations are scheduled, because those draw a crowd and younger kids often want to watch multiple rounds.

Quick Tips

• Buy tickets online in advance to avoid the gate line and usually save a few dollars per person
• Arrive at or before 10:00 a.m. for easy parking and first pick of the vendor booths
• Pack snacks and a reusable water bottle even though food is available on-site
• Mid-May weather in southern New Hampshire shifts quickly, so dress in layers
• Check the official faire schedule for the weekend’s specific performer lineup before you go

After the faire wraps at 4:30 p.m., Massabesic Lake in nearby Auburn is about 20 minutes southwest and gives you a classic New England waterfront stop on the way home, with shoreline trails and a calm stretch of open water that feels like a natural exhale after an afternoon in the crowd. If you want to make it a full weekend, lake country in the Lakes Region around Lake Winnipesaukee is roughly an hour north of Fremont and offers shoreline rentals worth booking for a Saturday night stay. Find waterfront options on Lake.com and pair the drive home Sunday with a morning on the water.