Our Journey

From a Single Festival to a Dream of a Medieval Village

Our journey began in 2012 with the very first Montana Renaissance Festival at ZooMontana.

What started as a single weekend of knights, music, costumes, laughter, and medieval merriment soon grew into something much larger. We discovered that people were not simply looking for an event—they were looking for a place where they could step away from the ordinary, become part of a story, and make memories with the people they love.

Over the years, the Montana Renaissance Festival continued to grow, eventually welcoming tens of thousands of guests from across Montana and throughout the country. Along the way, we also created new celebrations, including the All Hallows Medieval Fantasy Faire, and Yule-Aissance.

Each event has its own personality, but they all share the same purpose: to bring people together through history, fantasy, entertainment, and immersive experiences.

The Black Dragon Den Opens Its Doors

In 2025, our journey took another great step forward with the opening of Captain Scurvy’s Black Dragon Den in Billings.

The Den gave us the opportunity to create the kind of experience we had previously been able to offer only during festival weekends. Guests can now gather throughout the year for hearty food, music, celebrations, themed dinners, murder mystery feasts, tea parties, games, performances, and other special events.

Captain Scurvy’s Black Dragon Den is more than a restaurant. It is a gathering place for our community and a glimpse of the larger world we hope to build.

The Next Chapter: A Permanent Medieval Village

For more than a decade, we have built temporary villages in parks, fairgrounds, and open fields. Each time, our merchants, performers, staff, and volunteers create an entire realm—only to take it down again when the weekend is over.

Our next great adventure is to find land and build a permanent home for that realm.

We envision a medieval village where festivals, feasts, performances, educational programs, weddings, workshops, markets, and community gatherings can take place throughout the year. It will be a place where guests can walk through the gates and truly feel as though they have entered another world.

This dream will not be built overnight. Finding the right land, developing the village, and creating a permanent home for our events will be a journey of its own. But every festival we produce, every gathering at the Den, and every person who joins us brings that dream one step closer.

The Story Is Still Being Written

From our first festival in 2012 to the opening of Captain Scurvy’s Black Dragon Den in 2025, thousands of people have helped shape our story. Guests, performers, merchants, volunteers, staff members, sponsors, and friends have all played a part.

We are proud of how far we have traveled—but we believe the most exciting chapters are still ahead.

One day, we hope to welcome you through the gates of a permanent medieval village built right here in Montana.

Until then, the banners will continue to fly, the music will continue to play, and the adventure will continue.

Thank you for being part of our journey.