by Noella Noelophile®
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
Imagination, whimsy and a sense of wonder are incredible gifts.
You have a chance to experience all three, in less than three weeks, at the historic Cow Palace, in Daly City.
From Saturday, November 21st through Sunday, December 20th, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair returns, for its 42nd season!
Words don’t tend to do justice to this beloved Bay Area tradition. Technically, the Dickens Fair is an immersive, and interactive, theatrical world.
But that description doesn’t come close to the experience itself.
(Photo courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
Inside the magic
Stepping into the Cow Palace, visitors leave 2026 for Charles Dickens’ London, on Christmas Eve.
A miniature live steam train will be waiting, which they have the option to ride, for $4, to the main thoroughfare.
Once onsite, they’ll be inside a living “Victorian Christmas card”, among more than 400 costumed characters.
Chimney sweeps, sailors and street vendors wander the streets. Carolers share their talents, in celebration of the festive season. Favorite stories and historical figures come to life.
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
Lamplit shops and decorated carts offer handcrafted, distinctive gifts. Holiday decor, jewelry, fine soaps, toys, and all kinds of glass, wood and leather goods offer a thoughtful alternative for Christmas shopping. (Or for adding something special to your collection of Christmas ornaments, as we did on our previous visit!)
Entertainment is ongoing–and of all types. Original and fully staged pantomimes, jugglers, comedians and knife throwers take the stage. Parades and seasonal celebrations, including the arrival of Father Christmas, add to the festive atmosphere.
Songs fill the air at London pubs and music halls, while literary figures of Dickens’ day present their latest works at theatrical venues.
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
And in all probability, Mr. Dickens himself will be in his study, entertaining visitors, while familiar figures from his novels make their appearances in the streets.
(Photo courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
From the page, to real-life
Perhaps the most familiar of these, a certain Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, will once again be finding redemption at the hands of three benevolent Ghosts: Christmas Past, Present and Future. But guests may just as easily encounter Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twist, the Artful Dodger, or other characters from the pages of Victorian literature and history.
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig are hosting their annual Victorian Christmas party at Fezziwig’s warehouse! Everyone is invited to enjoy the music, dancing and parlor games. (Guests need not be shy about taking to the dance floor: experienced dancers will be on hand to introduce them to the waltzes and reels of the day.)
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
Tempting the palate
And no one’s going to go hungry.
Meat pies, fish and chips, and sweet or savory crepes will all be among the culinary offerings. For anyone with a sweet tooth (OK, that’s most of us!), handmade chocolates, English tea cakes and scones with lemon curd may well prove too tempting to resist. (From my own experience, the tacos, gingerbread and chicory coffee are a particularly delicious memory!)
2026 new additions
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
New this year, is a nod to the Victorian fascination with flight.
Just inside the entrance, will be a real hot-air balloon and basket, where guests can pose for a photograph alongside a costumed aeronaut!
In addition, visitors will get to meet pioneering British balloonist Margaret Graham, the first British woman to complete a solo balloon flight in 1826. And weather permitting, they may even get to see a tethered hot-air balloon ascent!
Also new for this edition of the Dickens Fair, is a new mystery.
Guests are invited to search for hidden clues in The Sherlock Holmes Experience, an all-new adventure in which the illustrious Mr. Holmes enlists their help in uncovering clues in time to thwart a murder.
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
In addition, there’s turmoil in Dr. Jekyll’s lab! The good doctor has vanished, and visiting sleuths will be just in time to discover four clues, in four London pubs, to determine whether the nefarious Mr. Hyde may be behind the disappearance.
(Photograph courtesy of Rich Yee.)
A tradition for generations
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair began in 1963, when Ron and Phyllis Patterson first created the modern American Renaissance Faire.
Encouraged by its success, they went on to bring the world of Charles Dickens to life by introducing the Dickens Faire in 1970. And today, the magic endures.
“It’s about creating a shared experience where families and friends can leave the ordinary world behind and become part of the story,” explained Drew Patterson, who is a third-generation producer of the Fair, in a recent press release.
Perhaps the key to the Dickens Fair’s popularity, is the fact that no two visitors will have exactly the same experience.
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
Younger guests will be enchanted to meet characters from classic stories such as Alice in Wonderland, visit with Father Christmas, enjoy entertainment such as puppet shows and explore games and activities.
Their older counterparts (many of whom may have first visited as children!) can chat with artisans, enjoy the aforementioned classic literature-based adventures and sing along with the revelers at Mad Sal’s Alehouse.
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
The logistics
Now, here are some of the specifics, for attending the Dickens Fair.
First of all, the ONLY place to purchase authentic tickets, is their website.
There will be NO onsite box office, and attendance will be capped, each day.
Tickets are nonrefundable, but they are fully transferable. You may purchase them as a gift for someone!
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.
If you are an active member of the military (thank you!), you and three family members will be welcomed, with free admission, for the first two weekends of the Fair. You don’t need to make a reservation; just show up at the Will Call with your military ID. And if a child under 5 is a member of your party, their admission is free, and doesn’t count towards the three family members you may bring with you.
“Twilight Tickets” are available, for entry after 3 pm (the Fair closes at 6 pm), at a discount from the “All Day Tickets”.
And, the Dickens Fair, which runs for five weekends, WILL be open on November 27th, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Hours, each day, are 10 am to 6 pm.
(Photograph courtesy of Zoart Photography.)
Finally, if you’d like to come in Victorian costume, you certainly may! Costumes are, as the Dickens Fair’s website says, “admired but not required”.
Here are guidelines, for what is permissible (no costumes that could be have you mistaken for a staff member, please, and no twenty-first century ones! Also, be sure any costume is appropriate for the Great Dickens Christmas Fair’s family environment).
Above all–Happy Christmas! Be sure to “honor it in your heart, and try to keep it all the year”.
The 42nd annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair runs for five weekends: Saturday, November 21st through Sunday, December 20th, at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva in Daly City. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm, each day of the Fair, which is open on Friday, November 27th as well as that Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving. Season passes are available, as well as individual tickets. Here’s the link for information.