Dickens Christmas Show And Festival

About the Event

A Holiday Marketplace:

The Dickens Christmas Show & Festivals is a unique national award-winning event comprised of a multitude of shopping and entertainment options, for individuals and groups alike. The cornerstone of the event is a Victorian Holiday Marketplace held in the 100,800 sq. ft. exhibit hall of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

Here against a Victorian Holiday background, one will find 350 plus period clad vendors hawking everything from jewelry, crafts, gifts, toys, art, gourmet foods, holiday décor, and much much more. There is truly something for everyone on your holiday list, but the fun doesn’t stop there! Strolling Victorian Musicians, Tea Leaf Readers, Punch & Judy Shows, Shadow Box Displays, a Life-Sized Historic Santa through the Ages Exhibit, and a real live Santa, each lend their own charm to the show. Adding to the experience are the elaborate Festival displays of Trees, Tables, Wreaths,  Worlds, and Stockings. All displays are available for purchase at silent auction with 100% of the funds going to the sponsoring non-profit.

Vendors selling to attendeesOff-site offerings include Sherlock Holmes Murder Mystery Dinners, Historical Tours and the opening of Holiday Shows at award winning local theaters.

Back by popular demand is the “The Victorian Snow Globe Challenge” with a chance to win 100 presents and “Scrooge’s Hunt for the Missing Presents” which will both be held on the show floor for any one that chooses to participate.

No matter your taste or budget, this event offers something for everyone. Whether it’s a day’s excursion or a long weekend getaway, the Dickens Christmas Show & Festivals is the perfect way to kick off your Holiday Season… Dickens Style!

Make plans to join the many that come year after year!”

Festival Highlights

One-third of The Dickens Christmas Show is dedicated to Non-Profit Run Festivals. Each festival is created around the Victorian Period and its’ Age Old Holiday Traditions. All of the Magnificent Pieces that create the Festivals are for sale, by Silent Auction at the Show. To make things even more intriguing, an assortment of Gift Certificates of all kinds, Show Tickets, Restaurant Vouchers, and so Much More, come with each of them, creating an even more Irresistible Ensemble!

Festival of Trees:
The Festival of Trees is a 40 Year Old Festival, comprised of Fifty Fabulous Christmas Trees in various Styles, Shapes, Color Schemes and Themes from Classic Red and Gold to Sports themes, Santa themes, Toy themes…you name it. Each year the Trees seem to get more Beautiful.
100% of the funds raised for the Sale of Trees goes to The Silver Lining Arts Foundation whose mission is to provide children, teens and adults a structured environment to develop their creativity in the areas of dance, music, drama and visual arts; mainly focusing on the underprivileged, special needs and handicapped population. The foundations’s mission is to grow and develop participants, emotionally and physically with instructors who are grateful, caring and dedicated.

Festival of Tables:
The Festival of Tables features Fifty Gorgeous Centerpieces, each one Completely Different from the next. They can range from Holiday –Themed Creations to beautiful Floral Designs that will enhance any space, from homes to offices.
100% of the Funds raised go to the Waccamaw Animal Rescue Mission (WARM). WARM is a no-kill Animal Refuge, whose mission is to rescue and rehabilitate, Companion Animals of all kinds, Miscellaneous Farm Animals and any number of Wild-Life Animals too!

Festival of Wreaths:
A plethora of Fifty Beautiful Wreaths, each bedecked in different Color Schemes and Decors. From Lit to Unlit, from Plush Green to Wreaths flocked with Snow, there is sure to be something for everyone’s door, fireplace or wall. While strolling this Festival, you will find each Wreath Beautifully Displayed on Victorian-Themed White Doors, Trimmed in Red.
100% of the Sales of the Wreaths goes to The Kiwanis Club whose objective is to help a Variety of Organizations that focus on Children and their needs during the Holiday Times. This project fits right in with their overall mission of Improving the World by Helping One Child and One Community at a Time.

Festival of Stockings:
Five, three dimensional Victorian Double Sided Fireplaces provide the perfect background for the display of Fifty Massive Victorian Stockings that create this Festival. The Stockings range from color-scheme to color-scheme, from Disney to Traditional… and on and on, each with its own unique look, each one decorated by individual artists and Filled with all sorts of Presents and Treasures.
100% of the sales of Stockings goes to Fresh Brewed Coffee House, a nonprofit faith based organization that provides access to services that support people experiencing housing, food and healthcare insecurities. Their venue also provides space for recovery and advocacy meetings, church groups, youth groups, networking groups, tutoring and educational training to music and art events.

The Festival of Worlds:
This Festival provides a look into the various ways that different countries celebrate their winter solstice holidays and a taste of their Holiday Foods. This year’s Festival of Worlds is comprised of a plethora of sponsoring organizations throughout the Grand Strand. Each sponsor will offer their own special take on a Holiday Dish for everyone to enjoy.
All sponsoring non-profit organizations keep 100% of the funds taken in.

Santa's Castle:
This spectator event takes place in a three dimensional Victorian Castle setting, complete with Turrets and Iron Gates, heavily bedecked in Holiday Décor. A collection of three dimensional Golden Knights add their own historic touch to the scene. Inside, Santa can be found, waiting for children both good and bad, to inform him of their wishes. The Castle provides the opportunity for parents and grandparents to preserve the memory of their precious little ones with Santa, through pictures.
The Family Justice Center is the benefactor of the Santa Castle. The center is a unique collaboration of community partners and agencies working together to provide a safe and welcoming environment for victims of domestic violence.

Santa's Station:
This festival offers Personalized Letters directly from the North Pole.
The Miracle League- Postal Station offers you the ability to bring the Magic of Christmas to life and surprise your children or others with a unique personalized letter from Santa.
There are many letter options available for a variety of people in your life.  From Grandmothers to co-workers and even a few naughty friends.
What is best of all is that they will come from Santa with a North Pole address.  And no one will be the wiser of why Santa knows what he knows, all the personal info or from where he got it.  The perfect way to start the Holiday Magic with a Mystery.
The Grand Strand Miracle League is the benefactor of the Postal Station profits.  The programs they provide for individuals with disabilities, give them a place to learn a sport and grow their skills in an adapted community, in a supportive, encouraging, safe environment.

ANGEL WING CHALLENGE

ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS MAGIC:
The Angel Wing Challenge provides the opportunity to take your picture in front of a magnificent pair of Angel Wing. (Even the Naughtiest will look like an Angel.) Participants in the photo challenge are then instructed to share their photo with a link explaining the Angel Tree Christmas Magic Program. The person with the most likes and shares on their social media with the Angel Tree link will be the lucky winner of a Stocking Full of Goodies.

The Angel Tree Program was created in 1979 by The Salvation Army to help less fortunate children to be able to celebrate the Magic of the Holiday too!

A traditional tree will be on display with a multitude of Angel tags (Each tag details the wants and needs of a different child). Attendees will have the opportunity to sponsor a child based on their own selection of an Angel Tag from the tree.

Victorian Parlor Games:
Without computers, TVs, or phones, the Victorians with their prim and proper facade, knew how to party.
Group games were played inside and outside, but more often in parlors- thus the name Parlor Games. These games provided the entertainment to their festivities… which ran into the late evening hours.

The Games, in addition to having fun, provided a great way to meet new people. Lots of games tipped into the players’ creativity and imaginations. Providing a fun filled event, that further motivates the interaction between people.

This festival is produced by Ground Zero, a local non-profit. Ground Zero is a place where every teenager can go, belong, and grow. Through life changing experiences and nurturing relationships, they make a positive impact in the lives of today’s teenagers, cultivating  their faith and transforming their futures.

Show Floor Entertainment:

Vintage Holiday Caroling:
During Victorian times, caroling was an indispensable and joyful part of the Christmas holidays. Groups of carolers would go from house to house, singing festive songs. In return, they were often welcomed with cups of hot wassail and food. Caroling also served as a way to raise funds for charities, with donations collected during their performances.
Most caroling groups sang without musical instruments, performing in a cappella style. Harmony-a hallmark of unaccompanied vocal music-features consonant four-part chords for every melody note. In this arrangement, the first tenor harmonizes above the melody, the bass sings the lowest notes, and the baritone fills in the chords.
The Overtones, a talented barbershop quartet, will bring this musical tradition to life for attendees. Dressed as English gentlemen, they will roam the event floor, delighting guests with beautiful renditions of age-old Victorian hymns-a true homage to the carolers of yore.

Punch & Judy:
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)

Santas Through The Ages:
An Elaborate, Three Dimensional Display of Life-Sized Santas throughout the ages, beginning with Medieval Santa to our present day, 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.

Scrooges Hunt for the Missing Presents:
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)

Dickens Shadow Box Displays:
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.

Strolling Entertainers:
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.

Victorian Museum Experience:
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.

Shopping with a Hero:
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.

Victorian Tea Leaf Reading:
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!

Local Attractions

Alabama Theatre:
Celebrate the holidays at Alabama Theatre’s award-winning, “The South’s Grandest Christmas Show.” Traditional Christmas classics, contemporary holiday favorites and comedy delight everyone in the family.

Barefoot Queen Riverboat Cruise:
Cruise down the Intracoastal Waterway! Sit back, relax, and enjoy your lunch or dinner as you let the gentle waves carry you past the stunning million-dollar homes that line the coast. As you glide through the serene waters, let our talented entertainer serenade you with captivating tunes and regale you with fascinating facts of the Waterway’s rich history

Broadway Theater "Winter in the Air":
‘Winter in the Air’ is set to transform the Broadway Theater in Myrtle Beach into a mesmerizing winter wonderland, captivating audiences with a blend of breathtaking acrobatics and the heartwarming joy of the Christmas Season. This Cirque-style spectacular promises to be an unforgettable experience, combining the thrill of high-flying acrobatics with the enchanting beauty of Winter’s Magic

Greg Rowles Legacy Theatre:
"Christmas on Main"
Come and celebrate the season with songs that will take you back to a place and time creating new holiday memories with your loved ones.  Immerse yourself in the spirit, songs, lights, decorations and magic of all things Christmas.

Hollywood Wax Museum:
Get close and personal with all your favorite stars and pop icons in this amazing wax museum.

Legends in Concert:
Spend the holidays with the World’s Greatest Live Tribune show as we present out Holiday Spectacular.

Christmas at Pirates Voyage:
You will be thrilled as the Crimson and Emerald Pirates challenge each other in one of Myrtle Beach’s most fantastic holiday shows. See giant toys come to life and perform amazing acrobatic acts.

Ripley's Aquarium:
View over 50-themed Christmas trees representing every state in the USA, along with thousands of amazing fish and incredible exhibits.

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