Get medieval at the NM Renaissance Celtic Festival

The New Mexico Renaissance Celtic Festival, where eventgoers are transported to a mythical world, is back for two weekends, Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30, and Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5.

“It’s designed to be accessible, engaging and truly magical for all ages,” Eric Vigil, founder of the festival and CEO of Kilted 11 Corporation, said.

The festival is free for those 17 and under with a paid adult, and Vigil said this is the only Renaissance festival in New Mexico to be free for these ages. The motivation, he said, is to provide a fun and affordable environment for families.

There is a range of activities including an Easter egg hunt on April 5 for ages 0 to 13.

“We knew that we were going to come up against Easter one of these days, and this so happens to be one of these days,” Vigil said. “So we made it huge.”

The Easter egg hunt will be divided into three age groups — 0-4, 5-9 and 10-13 — and will feature golden egg prizes. The queen will kick things off with a medieval-dressed bunny and a dragon.

The festival has something for guests to discover around every corner, Vigil said.

Eventgoers can test their skills with festival games including tomato toss and archery, partake in a kids’ knighting ceremony, enjoy the Loyal Horse Show, listen to live music and more. 

“We’re going across five different stages of nonstop entertainment,” Vigil said.

Headliners of the event include musical duo Camille and Kennerly Kitt, also known as The Harp Twins, and Celtic Nova.

The first weekend will lean on Celtic roots and Scottish traditions, he said. Several Scottish clans will host booths. 

“Our guests can explore the ancestry and connect with Celtic heritage,” Vigil said.

While primarily a fantasy festival, Vigil said the event brings history to life through Celtic traditions and education.

Vigil is also the creator of the New Mexico Pirate Viking Festival, which is held in Edgewood in August. While the two festivals are similar, the Renaissance Celtic Festival will feature more armored battles and fewer pirates.

“We do have pirates at this festival, but it’s just isolated to the pirate Shipwreck Cove versus the entire festival itself,” Vigil said.

He began the festivals after experiencing larger ones in California, Arizona and Texas. He was inspired and wanted to bring more of these events to the Land of Enchantment.

Vigil worked with the Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival for several years before beginning the New Mexico Renaissance Celtic Festival in 2022. He said over the years, it has grown from 8,000 visitors in the first year to over 15,000 last year.

He said the festival brings unique talent from all over to New Mexico. Vendors dress to the theme and decorate their booths, helping visitors fully immerse themselves in the world, he said. 

“It’s not just a pop-up tent and table,” he said. “They actually have to build them and create a welcoming atmosphere.”

“And so when guests are leaving, they’re like, ‘God, I felt like I was in another time,’” Vigil said.

The immersive experience, he said, is enhanced if guests stay off their devices throughout their time at the festival.

“I want them looking around, investigating,” Vigil said. “I want them searching.”

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local News Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.