by Noella Noelophile®
Get ready–the Great Dickens Christmas Fair is returning to San Francisco’s Cow Palace this Christmas season!
For safety reasons, though, prepare to experience it differently than in the past.
Tickets go on sale next Monday, November 1, for “Drive-Thru Dickens’ London”, which will happen around the exterior of the Cow Palace for three weekends: Saturdays and Sundays, from the weekend of December 4th through the weekend of December 19th.
Hours will be shorter than traditional Dickens Fair hours from the past: 11 am to 5 pm, with the last vehicle entry at 5 pm, on each of these days. And yes, a vehicle is a necessity to experience this–no pedestrians, please.
With the different format into which the pandemic has forced the presentation, though, it’s still going to retain the original spirit of the Dickens Fair.
Festivity in a new format
Expect to see live performances, tableaux from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and Christmas-Eve-in-London street scenes.
With two stages of continuous live entertainment, Paddy West’s singing sailors may belt out a chanty or two as you drive by. “Mr. Dickens” will be reading from his works–and expect Father Christmas to take a star turn of his own. The lovable London Chimney Sweeps will make their appearance, and so will the “peelers”, or London bobbies.
There may be some unexpected features, as well.
“While we weren’t able to produce our traditional Dickens Christmas Fair inside the Cow Palace this year, we decided to serve up Dickensian fun around the exterior of our beloved venue. It’s a whimsically ‘inside out’ experience with some fun surprises,” said Fair co-producer Kevin Patterson in a recent press release.
And if you love Christmas shopping from the talented artists exhibiting at the Dickens Fair, you’ll get that opportunity.
Enchantment for sale
Hand-blown glass ornaments, fine soaps and fairy-house building kits are just three of the items you might like to will be available for purchase. Traditional rum cakes and English Christmas pudding, children’s painting sets of clay figures and ornaments, hand-dipped candles…tempted yet?
I certainly am. We still have the unicorn cooky cutter I bought at my first-ever Dickens Fair (in 1978!) and the silver moon ornament which my husband and I selected while exploring our first Dickens Fair together.
You’ll be able to purchase whatever treasures catch your fancy, and have them delivered to your vehicle as you experience “Drive-Thru Dickens London”, along with your food order.
However–you don’t have to wait until December 4th, to start your Christmas shopping, Dickens Fair style.
Currently, Dickens Fair has a Shop Online portal where you can start your shopping now–and support some incredibly gifted independent vendors in their small businesses.
“Our marvelous artists have lost the majority of their shows once again this year, but many have continued to create their fantastic works of art and make them available online,” says Fair co-producer and vendor manager Leslie Patterson, in the press release.
“When you shop online and buy directly from the artists, you help them survive until live shows return.”
Browsing the portal, I especially like those beautiful puzzle rings by Berkeley metalsmith Norman Greene, the peppermint-striped handblown glass ornaments by Art Glass by Andre, and those almond and lemongrass soaps from Blythe Spirits. But you’re certain to find favorites of your own.
Dickensian fare, or, “please, sir, I want some more”
And oh, yes–the food, at “Drive-Thru Dickens’ London”.
“An enticing selection of hearty English foods” is how the press release describes what you can expect.
That may not do it justice, however.
From our visit, I can personally recommend the fish and chips, and when faced with a large slice of fragrant gingerbread and a cup of hot coffee mid-day, well, what’s a reporter to do? Must report accurately, you know! (“Yummmm” would be a very accurate description!) Meanwhile, my husband tucked into a meat pie which he said was fantastic.
Plan on having whatever tickles your fancy–and your palate–brought to your vehicle.
More than “remotely” festive
Now–what if you can’t travel to see “Drive-Thru Dickens’ London” for whatever reason? Maybe, like us, you’re staying isolated out of an abundance of caution, as the pandemic numbers go down but haven’t disappeared?
You don’t have to miss all the fun. “Dickens Fair at Home” returns on December 4th!
The Christmas keepers
In 2020, after having to cancel their in-person festivities, the Dickens Fair debuted a free virtual format.
Crafts, recipes (including one for roasted chestnuts!), recorded performances and sheet music were among their gifts to Dickens Fair fans, to brighten Christmas season 2020. From mid-November right up through Christmas Eve, they published new content. (Edgar Allan Poe singing the “Zucchini Song” on YouTube was a favorite for us, as were the “Carol of the Bells” sheet music and the recipe for cinnamon almonds!)
Now, they’re going to do that again! As of Saturday, December 4th, be sure to check the “Dickens Fair at Home” section of their website to see what Father Christmas has for our stockings. New content will be posted every weekend of “Drive-Thru Dickens’ London”.
And, look for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair to return as an in-person event in 2022! Currently, show dates are planned for Saturdays, Sundays and the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 19th through December 18th, 2022.
Be safe, be sure to social distance, and I hope we see you at the next in-person Great Dickens Christmas Fair!