The past two years have seen a homegrown Ren Faire called the Argren Faire set up shop on Locust Street, outside of Black Husky Brewing in Riverwest. Argren Faire is based on the mythical land of Argren—a.k.a. the setting of the Spirit Song Saga by Milwaukee authors Ross Hightower and Deb Heim. The 2025 installment drew more than 5,000 folks; now, the third annual Faire has an official date: Saturday, September 12, 2026.
What to expect? A lot! According to a press release, the event—co-hosted by Quizzical Spirit Press, Black Husky, Grimoire Girls Coven, and Tabletop Bookshelf—will feature “even more artisan vendors, more food, more music, and more interactive events.” There’ll be “participatory live-action roleplay (LARP), an author’s alley sponsored by Tabletop Bookshelf, an aluminum pour with the folks from Milwaukee Makers Space, plus the addition of this year of a storytelling booth hosted by Ex Fabula, and participatory traditional dance hosted by Milwaukee Irish Dance Studio and the Milwaukee Scottish Country Dancers.” Community organizations like Courage MKE, the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, the Urban Ecology Center, and Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee will also be on hand.
Will there be costume contests, beard contests, “feats of strength,” and plenty of beer? Of course. Are organizers expecting the return of a mermaid lagoon hosted by Wisconsin Merpod? YES. Is the whole thing free? ALWAYS FAIRE, ALWAYS FREE.
Per the press release, the Spirit Song books “follow the adventures of the peaceful Alle’oss people of Argren who are forced to defend their friends and families against the oppressive Vollen Empire. Their spirit is captured in a simple Alle’oss phrase—’Ērtsi kalaola’—’life’s colors,’ which means you must paint your life joyfully with whatever colors you have.” (We haven’t read the books yet, but plan to check them out after we finally finish that fifth Stormlight Archive book. Kaladin is a therapist!)
“We want to create an interactive, community experience for our friends and found family in Riverwest, as well as fans and soon-to-be fans of the books,” the press release concludes. “We invite anyone who loves a good Ren Faire!”
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