by Noella Noelophile®
(Photo by Philip Pavliger, and used with permission.)
The wintry streets of Victorian London are waiting.
Chestnuts are roasting. The scent of sugared almonds wafts through the air. Pubs stand ready to welcome patrons, with hearty servings of fish and chips on the menu. Vendors eagerly anticipate showcasing their wares.
In other words, after a two-year hiatus, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair is returning to San Francisco’s Cow Palace for Christmas season, 2022!
(Photo by Amy Hart, and used with permission.)
For five weekends–November 19th through December 18th–this beloved immersive experience will take visitors back to Dickensian London. for a Christmas celebration filled with games, entertainment, crafts and great food.
And this year’s Dickens Fair includes some exciting additions.
Before you get to the Fair itself
For example, if you’d like to go ice-skating in a Victorian park, you can! This year’s Dickens Fair will include a new 50,000-square-foot exhibit hall, adjacent to the Cow Palace. Called “Vauxhall Gardens”, this pre-show area is free to the public with $15 parking.
And if you don’t have your Christmas tree yet, look no further.
In addition to skate rentals, and refreshments including hot spiced cider, Vauxhall Gardens will offer Christmas tree sales–including live trees you can enjoy long after the last decoration has been put away!
If you’ve never been? The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a beloved Bay Area tradition.
Originally conceived and created by Ron and Phyllis Patterson in 1970, the Fair was inspired by their successful Renaissance Pleasure Faire (the first Renaissance Faire in America) which they brought to the San Francisco Bay Area during the Summer of Love in 1967.
Since 2000, Ron and Phyllis’s son Kevin Patterson and his wife Leslie Patterson have been at the helm.
This year, eldest son Drew Patterson takes over as General Manager, continuing a 60-year family tradition of presenting deeply immersive, fully inclusive, and historically authentic environmental theater.
Once inside
Now, what will you experience inside the Cow Palace, with your paid admission to the Dickens Fair?
Expect to see your favorites, as the Dickens Fair returns from its two-year hiatus.
Once again, Fezziwig’s Christmas Party will celebrate the season. Games, music and unhosted sets of dancing will welcome revelers throughout the day.
Mr. Punch and his mischievous friends are back. So is the hand-powered Adventure Carousel, along with hands-on craft activities.
Of course, guests get to enjoy Christmas shopping in Victorian London, feasting on British fare, and listening to readings of the “new” story, A Christmas Carol, by a certain illustrious author.
But as the Dickens Fair expands its magic, be looking for the new, as well.
Something new has been added
(Photo by Rich Yee, and used with permission.)
Among the new additions is an all-new Christmas pantomime, The Tale of Puss In Boots. New offerings in the area of gourmet food and drink include Scotch Eggs, as well as vegan and vegetarian food options, in addition to the Dickens Fair’s traditional fare and libations. (Meanwhile, if Bangers and Mash, traditional English tea with finger sandwiches and scones or East Indian delicacies are among your favorite refreshments, you won’t be disappointed–they’re back!)
And as you stroll nearly 100 one-of-a kind shops in the Holiday Market, be on the lookout for vendors making their Dickens Fair debut. Just a few of these are:
- The Curious Wonder Caravan, where artist Nadya Geras-Carson displays her sculptures and paintings. These are primarily animals, all dressed for the occasion!
- Natalie’s Jewels, inspired by the Queen’s jewelry. Artist Natalie incorporates silks, precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones into her creations.
- Roses, Ribbons and Reticules. Handcrafted from the finest ribbons of London, these are ribbon rosettes for your hair, home or clothing, along with bags and purses made of ribbon.
Plus, you’ll find antiquarian books, toys, ornaments, clothing, ceramics…and the list goes on! One of my all-time favorite Christmas ornaments, a small filigree silver moon, came from the Holiday Market during our most recent visit to Dickens Fair, and it never fails to bring a smile–and great memories–every time I unwrap it from the decorations.
(Photo by Amy Hart, and used with permission.)
A quick note, too–if you have a “foodie” on your Christmas list, they’ll be delighted with the Christmas cakes, handcrafted chocolates, seasonal puddings and specialty teas. That’s if you can bear to give them away!
Purchasing tickets
(Photo by MarkEYE, and used with permission.)
Now–something to know, before you go.
Tickets to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair must be purchased in advance, and are available online only. If you have a date in mind that you’d like to attend, now is the time to check for availability. After tickets sell out for a given date, as with any theatrical production, there will be no more available for that day.
All tickets are non-refundable, but they are transferable. You may gift them to anyone of your choosing. They’re also fully transferable to another date, should your plans unexpectedly change, as long as that date is available.
And here are some special, early Christmas gifts.
For all active military personnel, free admission is available for the first and second weekends of the Dickens Fair. According to the Dickens Fair’s website, members of the military may bring up to three family members, and photo ID will be required at Will Call.
Also, there’s a “Twilight Special” discount, beginning at 3 pm, for both adults and youth.
And, for groups of 20 or more, group tickets are available at a discount!
So, an early Merry Dickensian Christmas, and a warm “welcome back” as the Dickens Fair returns to live production! May Christmas season, 2022, be “the best of times” for everyone.
The 2022 Great Dickens Christmas Fair is open for five weekends, including the Friday after Thanksgiving. Dates are as follows: November 19th and 20th; November 25th through 27th; December 3rd and 4th; December 10th and 11th; and December 17th and 18th. Hours are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.