08/28/2026
Message From Owner
Tomorrow, the gates open, and I could not be more excited about the season ahead.
There is an energy around Dragonstone Springs this year that feels different. We have grown, we have learned, we have built, and we have pushed ourselves to make this season better than anything we have done before. I truly believe this can be the best season we have ever had, and I am incredibly proud of what everyone has done to get us here.
But what excites me most is not simply everything we have added. It is the direction we are intentionally taking together.
We have spent a lot of time asking what Dragonstone Springs should stand for. Not just what guests see when they come through the gates, but what they feel when they are here. We want this to be a place of Wonder — where people discover something new, make a friend, laugh together, learn something and leave feeling like they were part of something special.
That is why our word this year is teach.
We teach people what Dragonstone Springs stands for through our crafts, performances, stories and skills, but we also teach by the way we treat people and the way we treat each other. Every interaction tells someone something about who we are.
Throughout the season you will hear words like Wisdom, Fortitude, Stewardship, Joy, Honor and Community. These were chosen intentionally because they reflect the village we want to become.
This year we officially open and dedicate Everheart Feast Hall, whose three hearts represent Fellowship, Community and Love. Those hearts are more than a logo. They represent what we want at the center of this village and the community we are building together.
We are also launching Dragonstone Experiences, inviting guests behind the gates to learn directly from the craftspeople and people who make this village special. We are growing Evenings at Dragonstone, including our Masquerade Ball and other experiences that allow this place to become more than something that exists only during festival hours.
All of it is part of the same journey. We are building a place where Wonder matters, where we teach and learn from one another, where stewardship and honor guide how we care for this village, where fortitude gets us through the hard days, where joy is something we freely give away, and where all of it ultimately creates community.
There is one thing I hope everyone understands about what we want Dragonstone Springs to be for the people who work here.
To me, being High Steward means accepting responsibility for caring for this place and, more importantly, for the people who make it possible. I am grateful for every one of you who has chosen to be part of this journey.
We have an incredible season in front of us. I believe in what we have built, I believe in the people who are bringing it to life, and I believe this can be our best year yet.
Tomorrow we open the gates.
Let’s show them what Dragonstone Springs has become.
Patrick Taft
High Steward of Dragonstone Springs
Owner, Arkansas Renaissance Festival
