If you love the works of Charles Dickens and the Victorian era, you won’t want to miss the annual Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson, Long Island. This charming village on the Long Island Sound transforms into a winter wonderland with live performances, ice skating, carriage rides, and more.
You can meet characters from Dickens’ novels, such as Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and Oliver Twist, and enjoy musicals, puppet shows, and magic acts. You can also shop for unique gifts at the Dickens Marketplace, sample traditional foods and drinks at the Fezziwig’s Food Court and join the lantern-lit parade and tree lighting ceremony. The Dickens Festival is a fun and festive way to celebrate the holiday season and the literary legacy of one of the greatest writers of all time.
New for this year, Santa’s Workshop will debut alongside the Festival of Trees, where many of the decorations from past Santa’s Workshops will be displayed.
“Santa” will appear on his giant green velvet chair to greet families at the Methodist Church at Santa Claus Central from 12 to 4 p.m. The venue will include a forest of trees, carolers, and a cookie walk for visitors.
Both Santa’s workshop and Santa Central will host donation containers for AGAPE Meals for children.
The Artisan’s Square at the merge of Main Street and Broadway will show how hand-crafted works were made during the Victorian era in England, and Tiny Tim’s Train Project will be housed nearby at the Harbormaster’s Building.
A mandolin concert with Bobby Merriam is also planned on Saturday for the Sail Loft at the Port Jefferson Village Center.
It will kick off at 11 a.m., but then ends at 5 p.m. on Saturday and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
