TLDR: Hoggetowne Medieval Faire returns in January 2027 to Gainesville Raceway — rent a charter bus or party bus and your whole group drops at the venue entrance while everyone else figures out County Road 225.
Every winter, Gainesville puts on one of the largest medieval faires in the Southeast — and after a one-weekend stint downtown at Depot Park in 2026, Hoggetowne Medieval Faire is coming back in a big way. For January 2027, the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is moving the event to Gainesville Raceway (11211 N County Rd 225, Gainesville, FL 32609), restoring the multi-weekend, full-scale faire that Gainesville families, school groups, and out-of-town guests have expected for decades. The 2027 lineup includes over 100 vendors, 10 entertainment stages, and — finally — jousting back on the program after its absence at Depot Park.
The upside of the new raceway venue is genuine: the parking infrastructure handles more than 100,000 people during the NHRA Gatornationals, so the crush that plagued previous downtown locations is off the table. The catch is location — the raceway sits about 8 miles northeast of downtown Gainesville on County Road 225, a rural approach that turns a simple family outing into a multi-car logistics puzzle the moment your group has more than two vehicles. One charter bus or party bus cuts out that puzzle completely.
This guide covers exactly how to get a group to the faire efficiently, which vehicle fits your group, and what to know before the January 2027 weekends arrive. For more on navigating Gainesville Raceway, the NHRA Gatornationals charter bus guide covers the same venue in March and gives you a good picture of how the property handles large event traffic.
Why Rent a Charter Bus or Party Bus to Hoggetowne Medieval Faire?
County Road 225 is a two-lane rural road, and it is the only way in and out of Gainesville Raceway. For the NHRA Gatornationals, traffic managers control that road carefully because the crowds are expected and the infrastructure is in place. For Hoggetowne — a family faire drawing costumed groups, school classes, and visitors from across North Central Florida — the approach will be similar, and the lesson from previous faires is the same: arriving in multiple vehicles on a single-access road adds hassle that a single bus removes.
Split a group of 40 into eight cars and you have eight separate parking searches, eight separate pickup windows at the end of the day, and at least a few people stuck waiting for someone who got turned around on NE 53rd Avenue. One charter bus or minibus drops your whole group at the gate in a single movement, then returns at an agreed-upon time when the jousting wraps up and everyone has finished with the artisan market. Nobody in the group has to be the designated driver, nobody misses the royal procession because they were circling the lot, and the group actually stays together instead of fracturing by vehicle.
For school classes, the case is even clearer. A Gainesville school event bus rental handles the full class in one vehicle with overhead bins for backpacks, an onboard restroom, and WiFi — everything a 6-hour field trip requires. The school-day visit for Hoggetowne 2027 is planned for January 22, a Friday, with half-price admission for families.
That day will draw organized school groups from across Alachua County, and a chartered coach keeps the whole class together from the parking lot at school to the faire gate and back.
Charter Bus & Party Bus Drop-Off at Hoggetowne Medieval Faire
Gainesville Raceway's main entrance is on North County Road 225, and bus drop-off for Hoggetowne will be coordinated near that main entrance gate. The raceway manages vehicle flow for events far larger than the faire — the NHRA Gatornationals draws tens of thousands of fans to this same property — so the site is configured for organized bus arrival and departure rather than improvised curbside chaos. That said, the faire's specific bus staging area and drop-off protocols for 2027 should be confirmed directly through the official Hoggetowne website once event operations are finalized, as the move to the raceway is new and logistics details will be confirmed closer to the event date.
One planning note that applies to every visitor by vehicle: County Road 225 is a narrow rural road and it is the only practical route to the track from most of Gainesville. Peak arrival times — mid-morning Saturday when families pile in — will back up that road the same way any single-access venue does during a peak window. Groups that arrive at or just before the 10 AM faire opening consistently have the best experience.
A bus that drops your group and stages off-site avoids that secondary problem: instead of sitting in a lot waiting for the road to clear after the faire closes, the bus can time its return to the gate once pedestrian traffic thins.
Bus drop-off for Hoggetowne 2027 is at the main entrance of Gainesville Raceway on County Road 225. The raceway handles events far larger than the faire — the parking and traffic flow infrastructure is established. Confirm your bus staging spot and event-day protocols through the official Hoggetowne Medieval Faire site before your visit.
Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2027: What Your Group Needs to Know
The 2027 faire is a meaningful return to form. After the 2026 event was compressed to a single free weekend at Depot Park due to venue constraints, city commissioners voted unanimously in mid-2026 to bring Hoggetowne back as a two-weekend, ticketed festival at Gainesville Raceway — restoring the scale that defined the faire's 30-year run at the Alachua County Fairgrounds.
Here is what is confirmed for 2027, based on reporting from the Independent Florida Alligator on the city's plans:
- Dates: January 22–24, 2027 (first weekend) and January 30–31, 2027 (second weekend). January 22 is a planned school day with half-price admission for families.
- Admission: Tickets expected at $20–$25 per person. Verify current pricing on the official Hoggetowne website before purchasing.
- Scale: Over 100 artisan vendors, 10 entertainment stages.
- Jousting returns: Full jousting tournament programming was impossible at Depot Park but is restored at the raceway — this is the most requested feature from longtime attendees.
- Accessibility: The raceway features paved surfaces throughout the event area, and ADA accessibility is confirmed as part of the venue plan.
- Hours: Confirm opening and closing times on the official site as the event date approaches.
The two-weekend run means your group has genuine flexibility on which dates work best. School groups planning the field-trip visit should aim for January 22 to take advantage of the half-price family admission. Families and private groups who want full performances and jousting on both days have four opportunities across the two weekends.
Planning a School Field Trip to Hoggetowne: Charter Bus Rental Guide
Alachua County teachers have used Hoggetowne as a living classroom for decades — medieval history, artisan trades, armor, food culture, and music all walk through the faire gate every January. The school day on January 22, 2027 is designed for exactly this, and for a class of 25 to 55 students, a chartered bus is far and away the most manageable way to handle the trip.
A few things school coordinators need to account for when booking transportation to Gainesville Raceway:
- Distance from Gainesville schools: The raceway is 8+ miles from the UF campus area and further still from schools in southwest Gainesville, Newberry, or Hawthorne. That distance, on a rural road with limited return options, makes a single chartered vehicle significantly more practical than a parent-car convoy.
- Overhead storage for lunch bags and backpacks: Full-size charter buses have overhead bins and undercarriage storage compartments, so students don't pile gear in the aisle — a direct improvement over a standard school bus for a day trip.
- Onboard restroom: Full-size motorcoaches include a restroom, which keeps the school-day schedule tight without a mid-trip stop.
- ADA accessibility: Accessible vehicles are available through transportation providers serving Gainesville — note the requirement when requesting estimates so the right configuration is arranged.
- Early booking for school day: January 22 is the only dedicated school day. If multiple Alachua County schools are targeting the same date — which they will be — buses fill up fast. Request estimates well before December to secure the right vehicle for your class size.
The Gainesville school event bus rental page covers the full range of vehicle options for school trips across the area. For out-of-county schools driving to Gainesville — from Levy County, Marion County, or Columbia County — a full-size charter bus with a restroom makes the longer round-trip manageable inside a standard school day.
Which Bus Fits Your Hoggetowne Group?
This site connects you with transportation providers serving Gainesville so you can compare vehicles and all-inclusive rates in under 30 seconds — no paying for seats you do not actually need. Here is how the vehicle lineup maps to the most common Hoggetowne group types.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprinter Van Rental with Driver | Up to ~14 | Small family groups, scout troops, coordinator vehicles | Comfortable seating, A/C, luggage space |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | ~15–35 | Church youth groups, partial class visits, multi-family reunions | Reclining seats, overhead storage, powerful A/C |
| Party bus (15–50 passengers) | ~15–50 | Adult groups wanting a celebratory ride to the faire, costume-contest groups | LED lighting, Bluetooth sound, onboard bar, flat-panel TVs |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Full school classes, large family groups, church congregations | Reclining seats, overhead storage, WiFi, onboard restroom, undercarriage bays, PA system |
For a school class, a full-size charter bus is almost always the right call — the overhead bins hold backpacks, the PA system covers group announcements, and the onboard restroom keeps you off the clock on the return leg. For families or smaller private groups in the 15–30 person range, a minibus is easier to maneuver on CR 225 and still delivers overhead storage and serious A/C. Adult groups looking to make the medieval day-trip a full event can request a party bus — LED lighting and a Bluetooth sound system give the ride its own atmosphere before the faire even opens.
Getting to Gainesville Raceway for Hoggetowne Medieval Faire
Gainesville Raceway sits about 8 miles northeast of downtown Gainesville on County Road 225. Here are approximate distances and drive times from common starting points before faire-day traffic builds on CR 225:
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical drive time (off-peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Gainesville | ~8 miles | 15–20 minutes |
| University of Florida campus | ~10 miles | 18–22 minutes |
| Butler Plaza / SW Gainesville | ~14 miles | 25–30 minutes |
| Newberry | ~22 miles | 35–40 minutes |
| Hawthorne | ~20 miles | 30–35 minutes |
| Ocala (via I-75 north) | ~45 miles | 50–60 minutes |
Most Gainesville-area groups reach the raceway via NE Waldo Road (State Road 24) heading northeast from the city, then turning north onto NE 53rd Avenue to connect with County Road 225. From I-75 heading south, use Exit 399 and follow US-441 south, then connect through CR 121 and CR 231 to reach CR 225 — the official Gainesville Raceway directions page has the address and a facility map for final navigation. From I-75 heading north, Exit 382 (Williston Road) puts you on Waldo Road heading north, with the CR 225 turn about 5 miles up.
Plan your departure from Gainesville so your bus reaches the raceway by 10:00–10:30 AM — just as the faire opens and before the midday peak builds on CR 225. Groups arriving after noon on peak Saturdays will have the longest wait on the approach road. Building a 15-minute buffer into your timing on the way in, and giving yourself a 20-minute buffer before the scheduled pickup on the way out, keeps the day running smoothly on both ends.
Bus Rental Prices for Hoggetowne Day Trips
There is no fixed price for a Hoggetowne faire trip because the quote depends on your group size, vehicle type, pickup location, and how many hours the bus is reserved. The fastest way to see an all-inclusive number is to use the online quote tool — quotes come back in under 30 seconds. To give you an idea of where day-trip rates typically fall for a local Gainesville round-trip:
- Sprinter Van Rental with Driver (up to ~14 passengers): $130–$270/hour
- 15–35 passenger minibus: $120–$240/hour
- Party bus (15–50 passengers): $175–$400/hour
- 40–56 passenger charter bus: $120–$240/hour, or roughly $850–$1,600 all-inclusive for a faire day trip
These are planning ranges to give you a starting point, not locked-in quotes — actual pricing varies by date, vehicle availability, and your specific origin. For a school class of 48 students in one charter bus, a 6-hour day-trip rental works out to about $18–$33 per student. Once your group passes 20 people, one bus is usually both simpler and less expensive per head than coordinating separate vehicles, each paying its own gas and parking.
See the Gainesville party bus prices page for a full breakdown, or call 352-810-8210 any time for a free, all-inclusive quote with no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus or party bus drop off at Hoggetowne Medieval Faire?
For the 2027 faire at Gainesville Raceway, bus drop-off will be near the main entrance on North County Road 225 (11211 N County Rd 225, Gainesville, FL 32609). The raceway's established vehicle management infrastructure — used for events like the NHRA Gatornationals — means bus arrivals are coordinated rather than improvised. Confirm the specific bus staging area and any event-day instructions through the official Hoggetowne website before your visit, as these details will be confirmed closer to the event.
When is Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2027?
Based on the City of Gainesville's confirmed 2027 plans, the faire is scheduled for January 22–24 (first weekend, with a school day on January 22) and January 30–31, 2027 (second weekend). Hours have not been officially confirmed yet — check the official Hoggetowne site for final dates, times, and ticket details before booking your group's transportation.
How much does it cost to rent a charter bus to Hoggetowne?
To give you an idea: a full-day charter bus rental for a school class might run $850–$1,600 all-inclusive for a local Gainesville round-trip, or roughly $18–$33 per student on a 48-person bus. Exact pricing depends on vehicle type, total hours, and your pickup location. The online quote tool on this site returns an all-inclusive rate in under 30 seconds — or call 352-810-8210 any time for a free quote.
Is parking good at Gainesville Raceway for Hoggetowne?
Significantly better than the previous downtown venue. Gainesville Raceway manages events with 100,000+ attendees for the NHRA Gatornationals, so the parking infrastructure is established and the lot capacity is substantial. That said, County Road 225 is a two-lane road and the single approach to the track, so peak-arrival congestion is still possible.
A bus that drops your group at the gate and stages off-site removes the parking equation entirely — your group doesn't sit in a lot, and nobody waits for a cleared road at the end of the day.
Can a full school class fit on one bus?
Yes — a 40–56 passenger charter bus handles a typical class including teachers and chaperones in a single vehicle. Overhead bins hold backpacks and lunch bags, an onboard restroom cuts out mid-trip stops, WiFi keeps the ride productive, and a PA system covers group announcements. ADA-accessible buses are available — just note the requirement when requesting estimates.
When should school groups book for the January 22 school day?
As early as possible — well before December. January 22 is the only dedicated school day at the 2027 faire, and Alachua County schools from across the area will be targeting the same date. The vehicles that fit a full class fill first, and booking later in the fall typically means fewer options or premium pricing.
Request estimates in September or October to lock in the right bus for your class size.
What other Gainesville events can my group visit by bus?
The same Gainesville Raceway venue hosts the NHRA Gatornationals in March — a natural follow-up for groups that enjoyed the faire at the same property. Gator football fans can find everything they need in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium charter bus guide for the fall season. And for summer day-trips, the Santa Fe River and Ginnie Springs tubing bus guide covers a popular North Florida outing that works well for the same family and school groups that love Hoggetowne.
The Gainesville group transportation services page covers the full range of trips across the area.
Can I book a party bus for an adult group going to Hoggetowne?
Absolutely. Hoggetowne's mix of costumes, medieval atmosphere, food vendors, and live entertainment makes it a genuinely fun backdrop for an adult group outing or a birthday celebration. A party bus with LED lighting and a sound system makes the ride part of the event before you ever reach the faire gate.
See the Gainesville private event transportation page for options on adult group outings.
Compare Your Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Bus Options Today
The 2027 faire is the biggest Hoggetowne in years — jousting back on the program, two full weekends, over 100 vendors, and a venue built for events at scale. Whether you are a teacher organizing a class field trip for the January 22 school day, a family coordinating multiple households across Gainesville, or a private group heading out in costume, comparing charter buses, minibuses, and party buses through this site takes under 30 seconds. Call 352-810-8210 any time for a free, all-inclusive quote — or use the online tool to check availability in seconds.
County Road 225 is going to be busy that January; let the bus sort out the approach while your group enjoys the ride.
