Dress Up Brevard! Space Coast Renaissance Fair in January To Host Costume Contest

Set for the winter weekends of January 10–11 and January 17–18

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Space Coast Renaissance Fair is inviting lords, ladies, pirates, and cosplayers of every era to dress their best for an all‑new costume contest that will spotlight the most imaginative garb on Florida’s Space Coast.

Set for the winter weekends of January 10–11 and January 17–18, 2026, the Space Coast Renaissance Fair will transform Space Coast Daily Park, 5775 Stadium Parkway in Viera, into a bustling village of knights, nobles, and fantastical characters from across time and imagination.

The festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day and is produced by Brevard Productions in partnership with the team behind the Orlando Renaissance Festival.

At the heart of this year’s festivities is a featured costume contest, designed to celebrate the anything‑goes spirit that organizers say is key to the Fair’s appeal. Orlando Renaissance Festival founder Kira Phillips, who is helping orchestrate the event, is known for encouraging attendees to wear whatever they like – from historical outfits to cosplay full‑on.

At Orlando, she estimates about 80% of guests arrive in costume, and she expects Space Coast crowds to embrace that same creative freedom.

“Our patrons come in whatever garb they would like…we welcome everyone,” Phillips said of her costumed festivalgoers at Orlando, a philosophy she is now bringing to the Space Coast. The new costume contest will extend that welcome by inviting participants of all ages to step into the spotlight and show off their hard work, craftsmanship and character performances.

Categories are expected to highlight historical looks, fantasy and folklore, family and group ensembles, plus open cosplay, giving everyone from first‑time dress‑ups to veteran costumers a chance to shine.

Specific contest times, rules, and prizes will be announced on Spacecoastrenaissancefair.com.

The costume contest will unfold against a backdrop of full‑scale Renaissance entertainment.

Admission includes a full day of shows with more than 100 professional performers ranging from acrobats to tavern wenches, all clad in authentic period attire to keep the illusion alive from gate to gate.

Guests can cheer on Equus Nobilis, an action‑packed theatrical jousting show featuring noble steeds, ground combat, and horseback feats that evoke the age of chivalry.

To keep spirits high, the Fair will also host twice‑daily pub crawls led by The Wyrd Friends, offering games, songs, and merriment; a pub‑crawl ticket includes three beers or ciders plus appetizers during a one‑hour VIP ramble through the shire.

Between shows, visitors can explore an anticipated 70 to 80 craft and souvenir vendors, with a strong emphasis on handmade goods ranging from clothing and leatherwork to toys and woodcrafts that complement the Renaissance theme. Hearty food and drink—curated to match the old‑world atmosphere—will round out the experience.

Organizers say the Space Coast Renaissance Fair is designed as an immersive mash‑up of history and myth, mixing Shakespearean vibes with fantasy fandom in a central, easy‑to‑reach location. Space Coast Daily Park’s 50 acres sit just off Interstate 95 with ample parking, allowing guests to start their journey to the past as soon as they arrive.

“With our venue and experience and their expertise, we knew we had the right recipe for a very memorable event,” said Giles Malone, co‑founder of Brevard Productions with Space Coast Daily and Space Coast Daily president and publisher Tom Palermo.

Festival planners emphasize that the costume contest is not just for seasoned reenactors. Everyone is encouraged to dress up, from children in fairy wings and cardboard armor to adults in elaborately crafted corsets, cloaks, sci‑fi mashups, or hand‑stitched doublets.

Whether guests are channeling knights, elves, pirates, wizards, or pop‑culture icons, the contest is intended to embody the Fair’s broader mission: celebrating community, creativity, and togetherness on the Space Coast.

Tickets, schedule details, and upcoming announcements about the costume contest, judging times, and prize packages are available at spacecoastrenaissancefair.com.

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