After a two-year hiatus, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair and Victorian Holiday Party returns to the historic Cow Palace on Saturdays and Sundays (as well as the Friday after Thanksgiving) from November 19 through December 18, 2022. Keep reading to enter our giveaway for a chance to win tickets!
The 38th edition of this one-of-a-kind event has expanded to include a whole new 50,000-square-foot exhibit hall adjacent to the Cow Palace main arena. This pre-show area – known as “Vauxhall Gardens” – is free to the public (with $15 parking) and features a beautifully decorated Victorian park-like setting with a skating rink and Christmas tree sales. Visitors may purchase hot spiced cider and refreshments, skate rentals, and even live Christmas trees. Those with tickets to the Fair may continue to the lower exhibit halls to immerse themselves in the new wonders and delightful traditions of Dickensian London.
Now encompassing over four acres, this year’s Dickens Christmas Fair is filled to overflowing with holiday-themed shops, pubs, stages, and dance halls. Guests are greeted by the sweet aroma of roasted sugar almonds and swept into the fun by hundreds of colorful characters and the mirthful greetings of shopkeepers, street merchants, and fellow holiday merrymakers.
To increase audience comfort, attendance is limited via online-only ticket sales, date-specific ticketing, new ventilation, and a redesigned layout that allows for more fresh air from open doorways. “We are grateful for the opportunity to bring back this beloved holiday tradition,” says the Fair’s new general manager, Drew Patterson. “We will continue to do everything we can to make this much-loved event a safe, enjoyable, and accessible experience for all our guests and participants.”
The winding lanes of this ever-expanding world of Victorian holiday delights will include many new wonders for its return to full indoor production after the long two-and-a-half years of the pandemic. Experience the deeply immersive theater created by hundreds of skilled and engaging performers as you discover handmade treasures for your holiday gift-giving or sit down to a pint of draft English Ale or a feast of hearty handmade foods.
Theatrical Entertainment
Throughout the streets and stages, new theatrical works as well as traditional favorites will delight and entertain fairgoers young and old. Step into the Christmas Eve Past of Ebenezer Scrooge's youth at Fezziwig's Christmas Party for games, music, and unhosted sets of dancing throughout the day. Join Sherlock Holmes as he gathers clues to solve a mystery or Oliver Twist for pick-pocketing school in Fagin’s Den. An all-new traditional Christmas pantomime The Tale of Puss In Boots will delight the younger set, while Jim Chiminey returns with a comedic tale that unfolds based on the audiences’ answers. And, of course, the Victorian lanes and shops will be filled with an ensemble of characters found in Charles Dickens’ works, along with the illustrious author himself hosting readings from his ‘new’ story A Christmas Carol.
Amusements and Activities
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair overflows with holiday magic for the youngest guests, offering hands-on craft activities, old-world games of skill and chance, and lively interactive shows. Back this year are Mr. Punch and his mischievous friends in the Punch and Judy puppet show, as well as The Bold Tailor, a Grimm’s Fairy Tale, brought to life with young actors from the audience. For more hands-on fun, try the Dart Parlour, fencing lessons, or the hand-powered Adventure Carousel. Or build your own Fairy House to take home for the holidays.
Brand new to the Fair are Vauxhall Gardens, a skating rink (with rental skates), and a Christmas tree lot with refreshments available, including hot spiced cider. Enjoy a day at the Dickens Fair and return home with a tree for your parlor!
Gourmet Food and Drink
The Dickens Fair’s delicious traditional fare and libations are back - including Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, and East Indian delicacies. Tea will be served with traditional English tea service, complete with finger sandwiches, scones, and cakes. New this year are delectable Scotch Eggs, and vegan and vegetarian food options. Takeaway items – perfect for seasonal gifting - include handmade chocolates, gourmet salts, English Christmas cakes and puddings, and specialty teas.
After a day of shopping and entertainment, enjoy a pint at one of the Fair’s five English pubs, including an absinthe tasting at the Bohemian Absinthe Bar.
Holiday Market
Shop for the perfect holiday gift and revel in a wonderland of one-of-a-kind artisan treasures. Nearly 100 beautiful shops and carts offer fine crafts, fanciful clothing and accessories, ceramics, elegant drinkware, stunning jewelry, toys, ornaments, antiquarian books, and more. Peruse at your pleasure, and don’t miss the new purveyors making their Dickens Fair debut this season.
Ticketing and Other Pertinent Information
Tickets range from $7 - $45, are date-specific, and must be purchased in advance, online only. Please see dickensfair.com for details on General Admission, Early Bird, Group Sales, and other special discounts.
To ensure the comfort of all guests, there will be a limited number of tickets available for each day of the Fair. As with many other theatrical events, select-day tickets must be purchased for the actual day you wish to attend. After tickets sell out for any given day, there will be no more tickets available for that day, so purchase early to ensure you are able to attend on the day(s) you prefer. Although all tickets are non-refundable, they are fully transferable to another day (if available) or to another person.
Ticket Giveaway
It's easy to enter for a chance to win a family-four pack of tickets - just click HERE.
Official giveaway rules can be found here.
