Get in the holiday spirit – in Victorian style! The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, where Christmas Eve was always in the 1850s, is back in 2022! This Bay Area tradition has existed for almost 40 years and features elaborate sets that evoke the streets and alleyways of 19th-century London. Chimney Sweeps and Sailors to Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge, Father Christmas, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, as well as Chimney Sweeps, Newsboys, Sailors, carol singers and musicians.
We had the opportunity to revisit the fair on opening day and it was great to be able to experience again all the magic that the fair has to offer. The Dickens Fair is a must for all the family and there will be plenty to see and do for everyone!
Stroll the streets of London divided into areas such as the Grand Concourse, London Docks, Tinsley Green, Fish Street and Pickwick Place. Throughout you’ll find costumed vendors selling everything from 19th-century clothing and hats for all ages, jewellery, books, musical instruments, soaps and candles, toys and more. It’s a great place to find unique Christmas gifts for everyone.
This year they added a new section: “Vauxhall Gardens,” a park-like area with a synthetic ice rink ($12, $8 for kids under 6; includes skate rentals) and Christmas trees, which are sold in partnership with the Delancey Street Foundation . Visitors to Vauxhall Gardens can also enjoy treats like hot cider and handmade chocolates. Vauxhall Gardens is free to the public ($15 parking fees still apply).
The Dickens Fair offers constant entertainment, not only from the itinerant actors you interact with, but also across numerous stages and venues. Join in at Fezziwig’s Dance Party, hear excerpts from Grand Opera and Gilbert and Sullivan at the Victoria and Albert Music Hall, sing along to sea shanties on the Paddy West Stage and enjoy music hall songs and entertainment at Mad Sal’s Dockside Alehouse. You will also experience folk dancing and Christmas carols at various locations around the fair.
Don’t miss the opportunity to sit around the table with Charles Dickens himself as he reads from his classic story A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future may even appear! Other opportunities for intimate events like this include the Dickens Family Parlor and the Athenaeum Club, which offer an all-day schedule of performances featuring 19th-century luminaries like Oscar Wilde, Mary Shelley, the Pre-Raphaelite painters, and even Edgar Allen Poe.
Younger visitors will want to spend time in Tinsley Green, where they can play games, ride the adventure carousel, enjoy a Punch and Judy puppet show, performances by characters from Alice and Wonderland, and even meet Santa in person! Children can also make crafts such as fairy houses and Christmas tree decorations themselves.
Hungry? Grab a snack like hot cinnamon almonds or roasted chestnuts from one of the stalls. Pubs and bars offer drinks for all ages including hot cider, eggnog, lemonade, beer, wine and cider. For something more substantial, visit the food stalls, most of which are located along Fish Street and Tinsley Green, where you can enjoy authentic British Isles dishes such as sausages, fish and chips, roast beef, meat pies and sausage rolls. If British food isn’t your thing then there’s pasta, crepes, Greek and Indian food. Cuthbert’s Tea Shoppe also has tea time reservations, complete with scones, finger sandwiches and a teapot to take away.
There is so much to do and see here that you won’t want to leave. It’s easy to get lost on the winding streets of London, but don’t worry – each character can give you directions on where to go. It’s fun and engaging, and will really make you feel like you’ve stepped into another time and place. Visitors are encouraged to come in period costume and really get into the spirit of things!
when you go
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair takes place on the weekends (including the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 25) from November 19 to December 23, 2022; Opening hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair is $45 for adults and $25 for children ages 5-12. Twilight tickets for entry after 3 p.m. are $30 for adults and $18 for children. Children under 5 years are always free. Parking is $15 per car. All tickets must be reserved online in advance; Tickets are not sold at the gate. Order tickets online here.
The Cow Palace is located at 2600 Geneva Avenue in Daly City. To get there from Marin, take the 101 south over the Golden Gate Bridge. Bear right onto Park Presidio/19th Avenue and follow it to Brotherhood Way, which you turn east. Take Brotherhood to Alemany Boulevard, then follow Alemany to Geneva Avenue, where you turn right. Follow Geneva Avenue to Cow Palace which is on the right.
There is a wide range of food and drink to buy at the fair. Make sure you wear good shoes as there will be a lot of walking on concrete floors and strollers are a must for little ones. Be sure to pack water as well, as there are no drinking fountains on-site.
Visit dickensfair.com for more information, online tickets and a full program of entertainment and events.
