Show Floor Entertainment
Not To Be Missed!
These performances provide the attendees exposure to one of the Victorian Era’s favorite forms of entertainment, Puppetry. Once performed for the public in parks and outdoor markets, these Punch and Judy Shows quickly became very popular with the masses. Make sure to take time to enjoy one of these authentic reproductions of A Victorian Punch and Judy Performance, right on the show floor. (Shows will be performed periodically throughout the four days)
An Elaborate, Three Dimensional Display of Life-Sized Santas throughout the ages, beginning with Medieval Santa to our present day Coca Cola Santa, bedecked in authentic period- clad costumes. As you peruse the nine historical Santas, signage will educate you to the origin and history of each Santa, as well as the holiday traditions they inspired.
Be sure to take part in the Show’s Interactive Scavenger Hunt held on the show floor. Scrooge finally understands the true meaning of the holidays; and, after shopping for all his friends, someone has stolen his presents. He needs you to help find them. At the front door of the Show, pick up a list of clues and instructions. As you travel through the marketplace, try to find the gold wrapped presents hidden throughout. A one clue word will be located on the gift tag of each present. Once you have all the words, compile what you think the winning sentence is. Turn in your completed sentence to the designated spot. If you have constructed the right sentence from the words you have found, your entry will be put into the main drawing for a grand prize of a $500 prepaid Gift Card to kick off your Holiday Shopping! (Drawing Held on Sunday, Before Show Closes)
Many Victorians enjoyed collecting and proudly displayed their collections. These hobbies brought about the advent of the tradition of making shadow boxes from these collections. All boxes were unique, whether they contained travel souvenirs, family wreaths (made from beloved deceased relative’s hair) keepsakes for their children as they aged, or simply something worth collecting. Enjoy an authentic reproduction of “A Christmas Carol” created by our collection of themed Shadow Boxes, each depicting a different portion of the book from Start to Finish. It’s interesting to note that Shadow Box displays are a direct precessor to today’s scrapbooking hobby.
As you stroll through the marketplace, you will encounter a number of characters straight from the pages of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” from Scrooge himself to the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. As in Victorian times, one never knew what they might encounter at a public market from pan handlers to mimes, to magicians, to singers… you name it. The floor of the Dickens Christmas Show continues that same tradition.
In an effort to expand the experience of stepping back in time, Gold frames with interesting facts, descriptions and traditions from the Victorian Period can be found in and around the entire show floor. Additionally, in various displays throughout, one can see a variety of authentic Victorian Artifacts and Antiques, including an original Victorian Tricycle, Baby Carriage, the very first high-wheeled bicycle known as the Penny Farthing (which was invented during Victorian times) and many other interesting pieces that are added to the collection year after year…making the Victorian Era Museum Experience a fabulous addition to the Marketplace.
Bobbies in Victorian times performed the jobs of both firemen and policemen. The booths involved with this event allow attendees to see what the Bobbies actually looked like in their Victorian Uniforms and learn a bit of the original history of these professions, which became the predecessors of the fire and police forces of modern day.
Both the Police and Fire Departments are part of a Community Outreach Program called “Shopping with a Hero.” This program is one where the public safety officers, take young adults holiday shopping for themselves as well as their families for the holidays. The program teaches the children the importance of giving to others. During the Show, there is a competition between the departments to see which branch (fire or police) gets the most Facebook posts of pictures of attendees with their costumed officers. At the end of the four days, the department with the most Facebook posts is declared the Winner. All proceeds from the contest will be used to help produce the “Shopping with a Hero” program. Cash prizes for the Winning Department are supplied by the Dickens Christmas Show and other sponsors. Click, Post, “Like” and help our public service officers to make sure “Shopping with a Hero” is, and will continue to be, a success for the community.
Queen Victoria is credited with creating the popularity of afternoon teas for ladies. As the tradition rapidly grew in popularity, so did many entertainment options, from parlor games to Tea Leaf Reading (Tasseography). It is a fortune-telling method that interprets patterns of tea leaves left in the cups from the ladies enjoying tea. As the practice of Tea Leaf Reading became so popular, the Victorian English actually designed and produced hand-crafted tea cup sets, specifically made to be used for the sole purpose of fortune telling at their special events for entertainment. Visit our period-clad Victorian Leaf Reader on the show floor for a Victorian Entertainment experience of your own!
Is a Unique Market within the Market, featuring items from Vintage Private Collections, ranging from Antique Toys to Dickens Villages, Vintage Ornaments to Precious Books and so Much More. For sale, to the 1st collector that is lucky enough to find them. A preview of the offered treasures will be found on the Dickens Christmas Show, Facebook Page, seven days prior to the show. This new addition to the show floor promises to offer a unique treasure chest of one- of- a- kind finds. Who knows? You may be lucky enough to find something fabulous to add to your collection!
