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    Ren Fest Returns

    Hear ye! Texas Renaissance Festival reveals anticipated 2018 schedule plus new perks

    Eric Sandler
    Apr 16, 2018 | 1:24 pm

    Hear ye, hear ye! A beloved Texas tradition has scheduled its 2018 return: The Texas Renaissance Festival announced April 16 that this year's season will run from September 29 to November 25. The festival is looking to build on last year's momentum, which saw the second highest number of attendees ever — an eye-popping 644,917 — and a record number of weddings.

    New this year is a season pass. For a flat fee ($199 until April 30, $299 starting May 1), purchases will receive access to all 19 days as well as preferred parking and free admission to the Saturday night TRF After Dark programming. That would cost almost $900 if purchases at the gate or $700 if bought online in advance. The truly devoted can add season-long camping access for an additional fee ($149 until April 30, $200 starting May 1).

    Days at the event can be spent any number of ways, including shopping for arts and crafts or arms and armor, taking in the shows that range from comedians to jousting, or taking in the spectacle of historically (in)accurate costume choices. Getting a fortune read feels more authentic when it's delivered by someone in costume.

    Regardless of one's agenda, food is always part of the plan. Diners can't go wrong with a classic turkey leg or sausage on a stick, but the vendors also offer a full range of internationally inspired fare like empanadas, souvlaki, and pierogi. Vegan and vegetarian options are available, too.

    Here's the full lineup of this year's themed weekends:

    • September 29 and 30: Opening Weekend, Oktoberfest Weekend
    • October 6 and 7: 1001 Dreams Weekend
    • October 13 and 14: Barbarian Invasion Weekend
    • October 20 and 21: Pirate Adventure Weekend
    • October 27 and 28: All Hallows' Eve Weekend
    • November 3 and 4: Roman Bacchanal Weekend
    • November 10 and 11: Heroes and Villains Weekend
    • November17 and 18: Highland Fling Weekend
    • November 23, 24, and 25: Celtic Christmas Weekend

    The Texas Renaissance Festival returns September 29.

    Texas Renaissance Festival fireworks
    Courtesy photo
    The Texas Renaissance Festival returns September 29.
    festivalsnews-you-can-eat
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    Movie Review

    Toy Story 5 proves that Pixar's toy box still holds some surprises

    Alex Bentley
    Jun 18, 2026 | 3:30 pm
    Bullseye, Jessie, Atlas, Smarty Pants, and Snappy in Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5
    Photo courtesy of Pixar
    Bullseye, Jessie, Atlas, Smarty Pants, and Snappy in Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5.

    For fans of Pixar, the idea that it’s been over 30 years since the original Toy Story came out is a little mind-boggling. While the animation studio has had varying degrees of success with their other properties, they’ve always managed to make something special with each installment of their signature franchise. They’re now rolling the dice yet again with Toy Story 5.

    The story is mainly focused on cowgirl toy Jessie (Joan Cusack), who — along with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Hamm (John Ratzenberger), Forky (Tony Hale), and others — is concerned that new owner Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is falling prey to the scourge of technology in the form of the tablet Lilypad (Greta Lee). They’re worried that the “friends” she makes through games online pale in comparison to those she could play with in person.

    Woody (Tom Hanks) and Bo Peep (Annie Potts), living an on-the-go lifestyle but still in touch with the main group, come to help when Jessie goes missing while trying to help Bonnie. And — just because — a large group of new-and-improved Buzz Lightyears that have fallen out of a shipping container that has crashed on an island go on a mission that puts them on course to meet up with everyone else.

    Written and directed by McKenna Harris and Andrew Stanton, the film is a mixed bag, mostly because of the disjointed nature of the story. When the group was separated in previous films, things rarely felt out of sync as everybody was still heading toward the same goal. But the different factions in this film seem to be after something different, especially the wholly superfluous addition of the fancy Buzz Lightyears, whose ultimate purpose doesn’t live up to the time dedicated to them.

    There’s no way around it: While Jessie is a good character and has a lot of great moments in this film, the relationship aspect of the series is not as strong this time around. She mostly spends time with her mute horse Bullseye, but even when she interacts with new characters like Smarty Pants (Conan O’Brien), that ineffable magic is not there. Woody and Buzz have scenes together, but since they’re secondary to the main story, they don’t add as much to this film as they have in others.

    However, even if the film can’t live up to the first four movies, it still makes for a fun time. The storyline about technology turning kids (and adults, for that matter) into zombies is a strong one, and the way they incorporate different devices is clever. The large number of characters is unwieldy, but when the filmmakers truly dig down to the personal lives of certain toys or humans, the film is as effective as Pixar has ever been.

    Cusack, Hanks, Allen, and other returning voices are so attuned to their respective characters that you know they’ll deliver each line perfectly. People like Lee, O’Brien, and Craig Robinson are welcome additions to the group, but it’s tough to get used to new voices taking over for actors who’ve passed like Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, and Carl Weathers.

    The pitch-perfect ending of Toy Story 3 made the idea of Pixar making Toy Story 4 seem strange, but then that film proved the studio knew what it was doing. While Toy Story 5 is not a disaster, it’s not to the standard set by the previous films. It should finally be time to put the franchise to bed, knowing that the toys have given all the joy they can give.

    ---

    Toy Story 5 opens in theaters on June 19.

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