Renton, WA— If you thought you were under an illusion spell in Downtown Renton on Sunday, you weren’t completely wrong. The Wells block took a transformation potion and celebrated dragons with medieval gear and all-around magic.
For the seventh year, the Renton Municipal Arts Commission brought Dragon’s Landing to Wells Avenue between South 2nd and South 3rd Streets, and the block answered in full costume and around 1400 visitors. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., leather armor, chain mail, wizard robes, and more than a few elven ears filled the street. Knights and nobles mingled with fantastical creatures, and the air at times carried the faint smell of fire.
[ Scroll to the bottom for the gallery ]
The festivities announced themselves early. At the main entrance on Wells and South 3rd, purple and red balloons adorned Erasmus, the beloved art fixture perched above Macadon’s, giving the rooftop guardian a suitably festive send-off into the proceedings below.
The Fire Breath Stage kept the energy high throughout the day, featuring performances by Robyn & the Ren Faire Minstrels, belly dancers, the Dragon Dance Flow Art performed by Esjay the Dragon, and the Plastic Paddies, who led the crowd through shanties and folksy tunes that felt perfectly at home amid the medieval revelry. Ignition Fire’s fire breathers sent bursts of flame skyward and danced with flaming chains swinging from their bodies.
Between performances, attendees could watch sword tournaments, or let axes fly from a mobile axe-throwing cart. For those with four-legged companions, Erasmus’s Protector Pet Contest gave animals their moment in the spotlight. For the adventurous, the Rune Quest sent attendees on a hunt through vendor booths to collect runes distributed across the event. A Window Decorating Contest added a festive layer to the surrounding storefronts. The day closed with the Dragon’s Landing Costume Contest, a fitting finale for a crowd that took their garb seriously.
Vendors lined the avenue with art and wares spanning medieval and fantasy styles: crocheted potion bottles, mushroom caps, and fantasy artwork among the finds. The turnout proved fruitful for many of them. The city reported receiving widespread positive feedback from vendors, a number of whom sold out and described the day among their highest-sales events.
For the Renton Municipal Arts Commission, Dragon’s Landing represents something larger than a street festival. “Dragon’s Landing transforms downtown Renton into a place where creativity comes alive — connecting community, celebrating artists, and turning imagination into public experience,” said Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Manager for the City of Renton.
Seven years in, it’s hard to argue with that.
Disclosure: The author is Vice President of Renton Pride, which had a booth at this event.
Corrected April 14, 2026: An earlier version of this article stated the event took place between S 3rd and S 4th streets. The location was between S 2nd and S 3rd. The article has been updated to reflect this.
Updated April 15, 2026: The City of Renton was able to provide a figure of 1.4k visits from foot traffic data. The article was updated to add this figure.
7th Dragon’s Landing Celebration, Photo Gallery by Renton Signal
