The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Celebrate the Holiday Season in Victorian London!

The bustling streets of London, immortalized for all time by the mighty pen of Charles Dickens, form the living backdrop of your excursion into Christmas Past. You are a living part of a Victorian Christmas card come to life!

A Bay Area tradition for 28 holiday seasons, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair returns to the San Francisco Cow Palace Exhibition Halls for five weekends , including the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2007, from Friday, November 23 through Saturday, December 23, from 11am 'til 7pm.

Created in 1970 by Ron & Phyllis Patterson, the fair is now produced by Kevin & Leslie Patterson & Red Barn Productions, who continue the family tradition of theatrical excellence through authenticity, participation, and playfulness.

Come wander the lanes of Victorian London, as the glow of twilight settles upon the city. With the scent of pine boughs and freshly baked scones floating in the air and the sound of carolers and holiday merrymakers accompanying your stroll…

Visit shops bedecked with Christmastime finery and filled with unique treasures.
Stop in for a hot toddy or a pint of Boddington's at Mad Sal's Dockside Ale House, where the low-life hang out and the high-born drop in.
Raise a champagne toast to the holidays at Fezziwig's Warehouse, the most cheerful spot in London.

Enjoy rollicking entertainments on four stages and in the streets.
Feast on fine foods from the British Empire and beyond.
Rest a spell in Cuthbert's Tea House, for a sip of hot tea and cucumber sandwiches or scones.

Experience the joys of Christmas past at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair!

What: The Great Dickens Christmas Fair: A holiday adventure into Victorian London, partying with hundreds of costumed players in 90,000+ square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance parties and Christmas shops on winding lanes. It’s a twilight evening in Charles Dickens’ London Town – a city filled with lively and colorful characters from both literature and history. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air.
Cries of street vendors hawking their wares ring out above the bustling crowd. Dozens of lamplit shops are filled to overflowing with Christmas presents. New this year: each patron receives a Victorian name, a Passport to the Past, and tokens for prizes if the Timegame is well played. And it’s all in a Holiday Humor!

Where: Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, 2600 Geneva Avenue, San Francisco

When: Five Weekends including the Friday after Thanksgiving, November 23, 24, 25, Dec. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 2007; 11:00am - 7:00 pm

Who: Brought to you by Red Barn Productions and the Patterson Family, who created and directed the popular Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Black Point in Marin for 25 years, the Dickens Christmas Fair is a treasured Bay Area tradition since 1970.

Ticket Prices
at the Gate:
General Admission: $22.00
Student/Senior/Military: $19.00
Children 5-11: $10.00
Children Under 5 are Free
Groups of 25 or more: $15.00
Pickwick Club (Fair season pass):
$65.00 adult / $30.00 children
(available from our office or at the fair)


Ticket Sales: For discount advance ticket sales, click here.
Parking: $8.00 (charged by the Cow Palace)
Entertainment: Continuous performances on five stages and in the streets feature lively and colorful characters from Dickens' London. Included will be energetic song and dance in Fezziwig's Warehouse, boisterous music hall performers in Mad Sal's Dockside Alehouse, chimney sweeps, Ebeneezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and that evil genius Fagin.

For Children: Punch and Judy puppet shows, Victorian fairies, Father Christmas, and interactive theatrical performances; games and holiday activities; Victorian arts and crafts.

Food & Drink: Gourmet chefs will offer delicious foods from around the world, including fish and chips, English bangers, Greek delicacies, French onion soup, and enticing desserts. Craft Ales from local breweries and well-known British imports will satisfy the heartiest thirst. A wide selection of fine wines and champagne will be available by the glass.

Shopping: Visit the shops of London to find one-of-a-kind treasures, Victorian reproductions, fine art, romantic clothing, glittering pewter, and dazzling jewelry. Complete your holiday shopping or discover the perfect dress for that New Year's Eve party. Shopkeepers will welcome you, share a story or two, and send you on your way (hopefully laden with packages) with a hearty "Happy Christmas."

Re-entry: Visitors to the fair may leave and re-enter by receiving a hand stamp upon exit.

Click here for The Great Dickens Christmas Fair web site