TABLE PICKS Top 3 Events for Summer 2026

Vermont's 10th Annual Renaissance Faire June 27 & 28 • Champlain Valley Expo • Essex Junction, Vermont Step back in time and hear jousting knights' lances clang against opponents' shields. Watch as they charge, armored and on horseback, to try to unseat each other. &emsp;&emsp;Encounter a regal queen. See acrobats, aerialists and acting troupes perform. Follow the aroma of hearty fare — savory stews, giant turkey legs, and mead reminiscent of the English Renaissance. &emsp;Experience Vermont's 10th Annual Renaissance Faire on June 27–28 at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction. The fair features a family-friendly environment, says Jeffrey Folb, general manager/owner of Vermont Gatherings, which organizes the event. &emsp;"There are not a lot of events you can go to that will appeal to the whole family," he says. He describes the event as a somewhat "otherworldly experience" that has something for everyone. &emsp;New this year is a special guest: Adrian Paul, teaching the "sword experience." Paul is best known as Duncan MacLeod from the Highlander television series. He will offer three hourly classes a day on how to choreograph sword fights on stage and at fairs. Reservations are available on the Sword Experience (swordxp.com) website for an additional fee. &emsp;If pirates excite you, visit their encampment or explore Viking or knight camps to bring these characters to life for all ages. &emsp;Beneath 10 big tents, performers wow visitors with nonstop entertainment — drama, humor, music, magic and more. Vendors sell their wares, with 98 percent of them handmade, under smaller tents, Folb notes. "This gives people a chance to buy unique handmade crafts from artisans for themselves or as gifts," he says. &emsp;Folb says some former patrons learn about crafts and return to the Summer and/or Winter Renaissance Faire as artisans. These fairs are two of the six or seven 2026 events that Folb, of Vermont Gatherings, organizes. He says the fairs and other events held at this venue help support 400-500 vendors. &emsp;"Our three goals are supporting local artisans, doing well financially, and putting a smile on people's faces," he says. &emsp;The fair moved from Stowe to the Expo in Essex Junction near Burlington. It outgrew the previous site and found a more accessible, spacious venue near the busy Vermont city. &emsp;"Rennies" is the nickname for frequent, authentically dressed visitors to Renaissance faires. Many romantic matches have arisen among fairgoers, including the meeting and 2017 marriage of Folb and his wife, Debi. &emsp;Learn more: vtgatherings.com/vtrennfaire.html AND DON'T MISS … Monadnock 250 July 4 • Keene, NH Show off your red, white and blue on the Fourth of July when Keene and the Monadnock Region celebrate 250 years since our country declared independence from the British Crown. Highlights include a reading of the Declaration of Independence, a parade, a road race, live music, and historical demonstrations at Wyman Tavern. More info: monadnock250.com Wyman Tavern Brew Fest August 1 (1-5 p.m.) • Wyman Tavern, Keene, NH Enjoy live music, local food, and samples from the region's brewers at this one-day festival at Wyman Tavern. The Gaslight Tinkers will be this year's headliner. More info: hsccnh.org/wyman-tavern-brew-fest-2026