The Texas Renaissance Festival is offering free COVID-19 testing via oral swab for festival staff, participants and patrons throughout the nine weekends of the festival Oct. 3-Nov. 29, according to a Sept. 16 announcement from the festival. The tests are provided by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, according to the announcement.

Testing will be by oral swab with results coming within 24-48 hours; negative results will be given my email or text, and positive results will be relayed via phone, according to the announcement.

The testing site will be set up at Shop 166, located outside the festival's front gates, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. No appointment is needed, but ID is required. Individuals are not required to carry health insurance to receive a free test.

Additionally, a drive-thru testing site at Todd Mission City Hall will be available 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 19. Testing here is free as well, and no appointment is required. Attendees are asked to bring ID.

The TDEM is also donating disposable face masks to the Texas Renaissance Festival, which will be provided at no cost to patrons who arrive without a mask, according to the release.


The Texas Renaissance Festival announced in August its 46th season would go on with face covering requirements, mask-break areas, hand sanitizing stations, limited entry and other precautions in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.