Hundreds took a step back in time at the annual Shakespeare Renaissance Festival in Stratford, where attendees were decked out in old-fashioned costumes.

"If you haven’t been to a renaissance festival, it’s like going back into time," says Tom Dillon, one of the festival’s organizers. "It’s like going back to the old days of Europe where you get to see people dressed up in age-old costumes and garb."

Organizers tell News 12 the festival takes months to plan and they're hoping to beat their first year's attendance record of 750 people. This year, there were dozens of local vendors and activities, such as live combat sword fighting and comedy shows with fire. Organizers say the activities are bringing history to life in a town that is historically rich.

"Without art, you don't have innovation and this is thinking outside the box because we don't really know 100 percent what happened during the renaissance," says Amy Sonars Bukowski, another organizer of the festival.

Bukowski says the festival allows participants to write their own renaissance story through their imagination.

"We can create something new through our imagination and bring it to life," she adds.