Scarborough Renaissance Festival® runs 8 weekends beginning in April each year. The Festival is open Saturday, Sunday, and Memorial Day, Monday, rain or shine, from 10 AM to 7 PM. Visitors can watch shows on 21 stages, browse and buy hand-crafted items at over 200 shoppes, enjoy games and rides from the 16th century, and sample a multi-national variety of foods, ales and wines as they enjoy the wooded 35-acre site. Once inside the park, guests find themselves in the midst of a renaissance country faire replete with strolling characters, 22 stages of entertainment, 200 charming shoppes filled with handmade crafts, food purveyors, renaissance games and rides and the Tournament Field where bold knights joust thrice daily. Performers from around the country provide continuous entertainment on the stages and often invite audience participation. Guests are also invited to participate in the merriment by the roving characters of the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts. Improvisation by characters such as the villagers, Royal Court, and Gypsy troupe, engage spectators in spontaneous theatre and create a unique performer/guest relationship. All Scarborough performers can be recognized by the badge on their costume.