Dickens fair
ADickens fair(alsoDickensian evening,Dickens Christmas fair,Dickens fêteorDickens festival) is a weekend or multi-day gathering open to the public that attempts to recreate aVictorianEnglish setting reminiscent of the novels ofCharles Dickens.Events may be outdoor, indoor or a combination of the two. Many areChristmas-themed, a reflection of the enduring legacy of Dickens' 1843 novellaA Christmas Carol.[1]The fairs generally include costumed participants, musical and theatrical acts, and art, handicrafts, food and drink for sale.
Characteristics
[edit]Dramatic and musical entertainment, artisan demonstrations, dancing, parades, and lectures or discussions on literary or historical topics may be part of the events. Costumed entertainers often impersonate characters from Dickens' novels, as well as historical figures such asQueen Victoria.
Origins
[edit]The first known Dickens Fete was arranged by the Rev. F. J Mills during July 1897 in the English seaside town ofBroadstairs.[2]Broadstairs also lays claim to the longest running Dickens Festival, The Broadstairs Dickens Festival, founded by Captain Miles Conway Robson in 1937[3]and celebrating its 86th year in 2023. Unlike most British and American Dickensian fairs that take place in December, Broadstairs Dickens Fete is usually held in the second or third week of June.[4]
History of the fairs in the United States
[edit]
Ron Pattersonand his wife Phyllis started the first "Renaissance Pleasure Faire"in southern California in 1963, making it an annual event beginning in spring 1966.[5]Five years later they initiated a fall renaissance fair event in the San Francisco Bay Area with a harvest theme. These traditions took root locally and spread across the country.[6]They then launched the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco, an indoor event, in 1970.[7]This has also inspired similar events across the U.S.
Contemporary Dickens fairs in England
[edit]Beginning in the 1980s, the English town ofWarebegan hosting a Charles Dickens themedcarnivalduring the first week of December to welcome the arrival ofSanta Claus.[8]The 25th Dickensian Evening was held in 2019.[9]Townspeople wearVictorian costumes,local businesses and volunteer groups run food and gift stalls to raise money for charity, actors perform a short open-air play such asA Christmas Carol,acraft fairis held in the drill hall, anativity sceneis unveiled in St Mary's church, achoirsingsChristmas carolsin the churchyard,puppeteersandstreet musiciansentertain the public, andfairgroundrides and games are hosted in the town centre.[10][11]The highlight of the evening involves themayorturning on theChristmas lights,and leading a procession featuring costumed performers and dancers, horse drawn beerwagonsfromMcMullen's Brewery,thetown crier,carnival floats,andmarching band(s).[12][13]The 26th Dickensian Evening was relaunched in December 2022, after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.[14]The 28th Dickensian Evening is scheduled to take place on December 6 2024.[15][16]
The commercialised American approach was later exported back to England; a warehouse-based theme park,Dickens World,opened in Kent, England, in May 2007.[17][18]It closed on 12 October 2016.[19]
Other towns that organise yearly Dickensian fairs in December includeWhitby,Lostwithiel,Tavistock,andWeymouth, Dorset.[20][21][22]Whitby's Dickensian evening is unique as it incorporatessteampunkandgothic horrorthemes.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Zavoral, Linda."Annual Dickens Fair chases the Scrooge away".The Mercury News.Bay Area News Group.Retrieved20 December2017.
- ^"The Dickens Fete at Broadstairs".Westminster Gazette.6 July 1897. p. 5.
- ^"The Dickens!".The Thanet Advertiser.18 April 1939. p. 2.
- ^"Welcome to the Broadstairs Dickens Festival website".www.broadstairsdickensfestival.co.uk.
- ^Thomas, Peter; Kember, Michael; Sneed, Richard J (1987),The Faire: Photographs and History of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire from 1963 onwards,The Good Book Press,OCLC26491008.
- ^Rachel Lee Rubin (22 February 2014).Well Met: Renaissance Faires and the American Counterculture.NYU Press.ISBN978-1-4798-5972-6.OCLC940886737.
- ^Lipsky, Jessica (2016-12-15)."What the Hell Is The Dickens Fair, the Christmas Tradition in Daly City?".Thrillist.Group Nine Media Inc.Retrieved2017-12-20.
- ^Ware Tourism
- ^"25th Ware Dickensian Evening".
- ^Mohan-Hickson, Matthew (Dec 2, 2017)."All the best pictures from Ware's Dickensian Evening".Herts Live.
- ^Elton, Danielle (Oct 24, 2019)."12 magical Christmas markets in Herts you won't want to miss this year".Herts Live.
- ^"Ware's Dickensian Evening 2009".
- ^Wales, Huw (Nov 22, 2017)."Here's why you should be excited for Ware's Dickensian Evening".Herts Live.
- ^"Dickensian Evening is Back for 2022!".Sep 8, 2022.
- ^"Issue details - OD/2326 Road Closure - Ware Dickensian Evening".democracy.eastherts.gov.uk.Nov 17, 2023.
- ^Ware dickensian
- ^Swift, Simon (2007-04-18),"What the Dickens?",The Guardian,London.
- ^Addley, Esther (19 April 2007)."High times aboard the sewer boat ride to the slums".The Guardian.Retrieved14 January2015.
- ^Pyman, Tom (12 October 2016)."Popular tourist attraction closes as staff 'told of redundancies via social media'".Kent News Online.KOS Media, Archant Community Media Ltd. Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2016.Retrieved13 October2016.
- ^"Dickensian Evening at the Fort:: Nothe Fort Weymouth".nothefort.org.uk.
- ^"Dickensian Evening".Tavistock.
- ^"Dickensian Evening: Lostwithiel".www.lostwithiel.org.uk.
- ^"Made in Whitby Christmas Festival 2023: Live music, market and Dickensian entertainment at Whitby Brewery".
External links
[edit]- List of Dickens fairs(U.S.)
- Edwardian Ball- a Californiaballinspired by the works ofEdward Goreyand loosely set in theEdwardian era
