Join the family-friendly Olde English Faire at Stronghold Saturday and Sunday October 4 & 5 as we reinvent and create the Faire with vendors, entertainers, madrigal performers, music, dancers, tours of the castle, food trucks, falcons, and hayrack rides (weather permitting) in a magical family atmosphere. 

Stronghold Castle (or Stronghold Center) is located in Oregon, Illinois, atop the limestone bluffs along
the Rock River. Designed by Maurice Webster, it was built between 1928 and 1930 by Walter A.
Strong, then owner and publisher of the Chicago Daily News. Walter built the castle as a summer home for his wife, Josephine, and their five children. In 1928, Strong bought 360 acres of wooded property north of Oregon, Illinois, which included a limestone bluff overlooking the Rock River. Strong hired Josephine’s brother, architect Maurice Webster, to design a house on the bluff. The original concept was to build a simple barn and silo structure, but it quickly grew into something resembling a castle, with 16 bedrooms, 9 baths, 8
fireplaces, gargoyles, and secret passageways.

Today, the castle provides a magical backdrop for live Renaissance Performers, Medieval Artisans, Craft Vendors, Food Court, and a Beer Garden. 

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Since 1962, the property has been operating as a Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center. 

The Olde English Faire is a major annual fundraising event- proceeds support our Summer Camps and provide scholarships for campers. Dress up or just enjoy the music, performers, food and vendors in a unique and beautiful setting while supporting Stronghold.

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Grounds open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m.
Entry: $10.00 per person, $5.00 for children under 12, and free for ages 5 and under.

See you at the Faire!