The Mourning Wood
Come laugh and cry your way through existential dread with the Minnesota Renaissance Festival’s Goth-most musical act. With their unique brand of comedic folk, The Mourning Wood is sure to give sadness some stiff opposition.
Photo Credit – Sheng and the Wanderlust • WEBSITE
The Inland Seas
The members of The Inland Seas spent years touring the nation and traveling around the world in rock, classic country, and punk scenes before being called to their roots and forming this Celtic project in 2017. From rousing pub songs to haunting ballads, The Inland Seas belt out Irish, Scottish, and English folk with heart and grit. They’ll draw you in with songs of the sea, of love and loss, of whiskey and wild nights… Come raise a glass and be swept away by the many moods of The Inland Seas!
Photo Credit – Melanie Kelly
Tedric Dagworth, The Strolling Minstrel
A wandering minstrel of the realm. He can be found strolling the festival performing celtic folk songs, original music, and a few familiar tunes.
Battlelegs
The midwest’s disputed leader of Irish-Facemelting-Folk-Rock, now with over a decade at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.
With a perfected blend of comedy, energy, memorable stories, shredding accordion licks, spoon solos, and mug-swinging sarcasm, Battlelegs is dressed to impress. Don’t bother seeing them live if you have leg problems or a heart condition – your own dancing and clapping might kill you.
Sláinte!
Sycamore Gap
Through songs about wanderers, workers, witches, and more, Sycamore Gap takes you on a journey back in time and across the sea. This traditional folk trio features robust vocals interwoven with guitar, mandolin, bass, flute, whistles and bodhran.
Court Revelers
The Court Revelers endeavor to entertain, excite, and enrich audiences by presenting high quality, live a capella performances of Renaissance and Baroque period music; to create a unique musical performance experience. Some of our favorite composers are Orlando di Lasso and John Dowland among a mixture of over 120 madrigal pieces, drinking songs, and sea shanties. We attempt to achieve a balance between the beautifully lively and the simply lovely.
DeCantus
DeCantus is a professional a capella ensemble that offers specialized performances at a variety of venues and events including private parties, public shopping centers, and corporate events. Formed in 2000, DeCantus performs as a quintet and has two seasons: renaissance festivals and holiday caroling. In the spring, summer, and fall, DeCantus interacts directly with its audiences while singing an eclectic mix of folk songs, pub songs, madrigals, and comedy numbers. During the winter months, DeCantus dons Victorian-inspired attire and performs sacred and secular carols in jazz, traditional, and novelty arrangements.
The Dregs
The Dregs have been performing “music” and “comedy” for over ten years. After all those years of performing, they fans number in the dozens. On a good day. Their goal is to inject a little bit of comedy into all their music and a little bit of music into their comedy. It has been said that they know the first verse to every song ever written. That may not be true but the odds are good that they can make it up. They also sing more songs about zombies than any other band they know.
The band is currently comprised of Susanne Becker, Trevor Hartman, Molly Zupon,
Paul Score, Rachael Salisbury and Tim Wick. Of that number, only one is an accordion player. All attempts to reduce that number have failed but they continue to be optimistic about their chances.
If you like silly musicalness or musical silliness, The Dregs are probably the band for you. They aren’t afraid to butcher a song in the name of comedy!
Elizabethan Syngers
The Elizabethan Syngers have been a fixture at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival since its founding in 1971. Our goal is not only to entertain, but to create an interest in music from The Renaissance, and to educate our Syngers and audience about its important place in music history. Our love for the Renaissance Madrigal and song is embodied in our mission statement: The Elizabethan Syngers are dedicated to preserving, promoting, and performing music of and inspired by the Renaissance Period.
Four Pints Shy
Playing music at the Renaissance Festival in one form or another for the past 16 years, Twin Cities-based septet Four Pints Shy combines Irish, English, and Bluegrass music into a high energy performance experience. Whether it’s an uptempo jig or a raucous, sing-along pub song, Four Pints Shy will be sure to excite and entertain. Perfect music to come down to the pub and have a pint or two. Sláinte!
Trevor Holien – Fiddle
Andy Sponsler – Bodhrán & Vocals
Rick Widen – Banjo & Vocals
Renee Pilon – Guitar & Vocals
Seth Goodlaxson – Accordion, Whistles, & Vocals
Dylan Vidas – Guitar, Bass Guitar, & Vocals
Scott Lund – Mandolin, Bouzouki, & Vocals
Kindred
Founded at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in 1993, Kindred band members share Celtic heritage and a love for the sounds of their common ancestry. After a decade hiatus from music and merrymaking, Kindred is returning to the Festival with harmonious original songs to whisk your mind away to the isles.
The Leprechaun Pirates
Being a musician on a pirate ship is an essential job, so is keeping up the morale of the crew between prizes. It can also be a bit of a chore, as any crew member can request a tune, and even roust the musician out of bed. So in some ways we are the hardest working members of a pirate ship. Still, it’s a job that needs doing, and it’s better than swabbing the deck. We can also pick up a little honest money when we go to shore at the local tavern or even street corner. Everyone loves a good tune and adventure on the high seas. We will again be going on shore leave for fun and frolic at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival so put on your favorite pirate gear and join us for a weekend of fun and feasting.
Mistress Kathleen
Kathleen uses hammered dulcimer and voice to carry on the traditional songs of her ancestors: from the clear open prayers of medieval monasteries, to the passions and beliefs of Irish travelers, to the radical reformers of Shaker villages in the New World. This music resonates with insight, wisdom, and beauty. Kathleen ties together her English / Irish / Early American song quilt with stories and poems.
Too Broke Blokes
Too Broke Blokes plays traditional Irish music really really fast. And by fast, we mean ludicrous speed.
Naughty Bawdy Brigade
We, the Mistresses of the Naughty Bawdy Brigade entertain you with songs, jokes, limericks, and a whole lot of double entendre.
Ravenscroft Musicke Guild
Along the lanes of the village, you might hear the masters and mistresses of the (Most Excellent) Ravenscroft Musicke Guild. Their shows present 16th and 17th Century madrigals and ballads, with rich counterpoint, enthusiastic instrumental accompaniment, fun and silliness, and fleeting discussions of turkey pirates.
Allen – A – Dale
Allen-A-Dale, the minstrel of Robin Hood legend, with entertain site-wide all day long, on a variety of instruments. He may even invite you play along with him!
Family Friendly
Loose Cannon