Drums of the North and cannon fire return to Edgewood in August when the Pirate Viking Summer Festival sails back into Wildlife West Nature Park for its seventh year, promising two days of history, fantasy and full-throated adventure in the Southwest.
The festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23, at the nature park, 87 N. Frontage Road. Kids 17 and under get in free with a paying adult, and parking is free both days. Discount tickets are on sale now online.
Five stages, nonstop shows
Organizers say five stages will run continuous entertainment from open to close both days, with a new act taking over roughly every hour. The lineup spans belly dance troupe Shamshir, rock outfit Tingley Beach Buccaneers, Nordic Daughter, comedy duo Tea and Strumpets, and returning fan favorite Celtica Nova, which performs its Viking-themed set in full period garb.
Beyond the music and comedy stages, Pirate and Viking History Stops will run throughout the grounds, where costumed storytellers walk visitors through sea legends and Norse sagas between the bigger stage shows.
Vendors, brew and battle-ready feasting
Vendor lanes will line the park with handcrafted goods and pirate- and Viking-themed wares, alongside food booths serving up festival fare. Several craft brewers and meaderies will pour throughout the grounds for adult guests looking to sample, as organizers put it, “the drink of warriors and rogues alike.”
Vendors interested in setting up a booth can apply by emailing vendor@nmrenceltfest.com.
Sponsor and beneficiary
Champion Windows is sponsoring this year’s festival. Proceeds benefit Wildlife West Nature Park and Sanctuary Zoo, the Edgewood nonprofit that has hosted the event throughout its seven-year run and cares for injured and non-releasable native wildlife on site.
Pirate Viking Summer Festival
- When: Aug. 22-23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
- Where: Wildlife West Nature Park, 87 N. Frontage Road, Edgewood
- Cost: Kids 17 and under free with paying adult; parking free
- Tickets: piratevikingsummertickets.eventbrite.com
- Vendor applications: vendor@nmrenceltfest.com