Dickens Festival lights up Tacoma’s Stadium District with Victorian style
Get out your frock coats and top hats — the Dickens Festival is returning to Tacoma’s Stadium District. Now in it’s 11th year, the outdoor/indoor street festival runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and offers Victorian-style entertainment alongside the Victorian Holiday Celebration at the Seymour Conservatory.
The theme of this year’s festival is English music hall, a style of live entertainment alternating songs, comedy and variety that was similar to (and a predecessor of) American vaudeville. Acts include cameo reenactments of Dickens characters by festival founders Mario and Frances Lorenz, the Dickens Carolers of Seattle, the Jason Lee Orchestra and Stadium Jazz Band.
Local retailers will host craft vendors, a cowboy Santa, free horse-and-carriage rides will run between 1-4 p.m. from the corner of First Street and North Tacoma Avenue to the Seymour Conservatory in Wright Park, and there will be a beard and costume contest with prizes. Victorian dress is encouraged — think fussy high collars, long skirts, tailored coats, tall hats or bonnets, handkerchiefs and lots of lace.
Just up the road, the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory is hosting its own Victorian holiday celebration, including children’s stories, Santa and a grand floral exhibit of poinsettias, amaryllis, paperwhite narcissus and more. At dusk, join the luminary Procession of Stars encircling the park with illuminated paper sculptures and lanterns.
Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568, @rose_ponnekanti
Dickens Fest and Victorian Holiday
When: Saturday. Dickens Fest from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Seymour Victorian Holiday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Procession of Stars at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Stadium District, including entertainment at Titus Will showroom, 633 Division Ave. Tacoma, retailers in the district, and W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Wright Park, 316 S. G St., Tacoma.
Cost: Free.
Information: 253-363-2956, dickensfestival.net, metroparkstacoma.org/events-conservatory.
This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 1:27 AM with the headline "Dickens Festival lights up Tacoma’s Stadium District with Victorian style."