Founded in 1971, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival has become the largest Renaissance festival in the nation, drawing in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Festival-goers experience one-of-a-kind entertainment, from live jousting to costumed performers and artisans, on grounds modeled after a 16th-century village. The Renaissance Festival runs weekends in August and September.As Halloween nears, the Renaissance Festival grounds are transformed into the Trail of Terror. With an indoor maze, haunted hayride and special events and attractions, the Trail of Terror offers spooky thrills during weekends in October.