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Festival Highlights
The Queen's Parades
2pm Saturday & 2pm Sunday
Her Majesty Queen Victoria, escorted by a colorful guard of Beefeaters in her own royal parade, greets her subjects both festival days from an elegant horse-drawn carriage draped with garlands. Others joining the procession through historic downtown Galveston include skirling bagpipe bands, a host of costumed characters and Victorian attired ladies and gentlemen, on foot and riding in decorated carriages and on horseback.
GHF Members – enjoy the parade in comfort, with a great view and other amenities! Details
Dickens Book Signing
12:00 pm – 1:30pm Saturday / 3 pm – 4pm Sunday
GHF Retail Tent, 23rd and Strand Street
Lucinda Dickens Hawksley, great-great-great granddaughter of Charles Dickens, will sign copies of Dickens’ literary works. Books will be available for purchase.
Living History Encampment
All day Saturday & Sunday
Courtesy of the 1st Texas Brigade, visit with the Confederate soldiers that once roamed the streets of Victorian Galveston and learn more about the 1863 Battle of Galveston.
Pickwick’s Lanternlight Parade
7:00 pm Saturday
The glow of lanterns fills the streets during this delightful evening parade. Lantern carrying escorts accompany carriages and wagons while the melody of holiday carols and bagpipes echo through the crowd.
Dickens Costume Contest
3:30 pm Saturday
23rd and Strand
Ladies and gentlemen showcase their finest Victorian costumes at the Westminster Abbey stage at 23rd Street and The Strand. Categories include Loveliest Ladies, Most Dapper Gents and Best Dressed Families. Winners of this annual event are featured in Saturday’s Pickwick’s Lanternlight Parade. Interested contestants may register at the Costume & Whisker booth at 23rd and Strand the day of the contest.
Children's Activities
All day Saturday & Sunday
Piccadilly Circus, 21st Street and The Strand
Frolic and play the Victorian way! Children of all ages can participate in a number of activities including an elephant or pony ride, building snowmen in the snow yard or joining Scrooge’s Scavenger hunt! Be sure to pick up your scavenger hunt card at any entry gate. Snow Yard, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am til it melts!
London Wharf and the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa
10am to 6pm Saturday
Pier 22 (21st Street at Harborside Drive)
(INCLUDED WITH PURCHASE OF A DICKENS ON THE STRAND FESTIVAL TICKET)
Reflecting Back on times when the sun never set on the British Empire, London Wharf presents the jaunty tunes of a concertina as “old salts” share tall tales of life at sea. Don't miss this opportunity to see demonstrations of traditional maritime skills and purchase unique nautical crafts made by volunteer crew members of the 1877 tall ship Elissa, a National Historic Landmark. Free admission to those with a Dickens on The Strand festival ticket, including tours of the Elissa.
Continuous Entertainment & Holiday Shopping
All day Saturday & Sunday
There's no shortage of entertainment for royal revelers when magicians, musicians, hypnotists, acrobats and performers of all types take to the festival's stages for non-stop entertainment throughout the festival site.
Love to shop? A vast array of costumed vendors peddling their wares from street stalls and rolling carts laden with tasty culinary delights and Victorian inspired crafts clothing, jewelry, holiday decorations and gift items just in time for the holidays.
Want a great place to take pictures with your family and friends? The Queen's Christmas Tree at the Westminster Abbey stage located on 23rd Street and The Strand is the perfect setting.
Victorian Bed Races
Sunday, December 4th
12:00 p.m.
Mechanic Street
Cheer on the Victorian Bed Races down Mechanic Street! Enjoy the amusement as spectators line the race route to cheer on the participants. Prizes awarded to the team with the fastest time, best decorated bed and People’s Choice Award – for $1, patrons to the festival may cast their vote for their favorite bed. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Galveston Historical Foundation and the other half will be donated to the charity chosen by the first place winners. Gather your office mates or neighborhood chums and call 409 765 3409 to register your team today!
Albert’s Whimsical Whisker Revue
Saturday, December 3rd
4:30 p.m.
Westminster Abbey Stage, 23rd and Strand
Celebrate whiskers of all styles as members of the Austin Facial Hair Club judge the best of the bearded and dandy! Categories include the Rip Van Winkle (full beard), Most Impressive Picadilly Weepers (sideburns), Finest Gatter Soaker (mustache), Noblest Toff (best groomed) and Hairiest Maiden in the Land (ladies). Winners will be featured in Saturday's Pickwick Lantern Parade. Interested contestants may register at the Costume & Whisker booth at 23rd and Strand the day of the contest.
Become a supporter of the Austin Beard Team! http://www.austinfacialhairclub.com/.
Steampunk Square
All day Saturday & Sunday
Meet the crew of Airship Isabella and experience the future-past that never was while shopping for unique, handmade items with Steampunk flare!
Steampunk Circus
Saturday, December 3
7:30 p.m.
Join Airship Isabella at the Westminster Abbey Stage as Steampunk Scrooge and characters start the circus with a one act play of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol the Steampunk way! Following the play enjoy Steampunk stilt-walkers, jugglers and mimes before the grand finale with a Steampunked fire spinning exhibition!
Steampunk Ball
Westminster Abbey Stage
9 pm Saturday
Immediately following Steampunk Circus, stay and dance the night away as Celebrity DJ Greg Ayers keeps the party grooving with sounds of Victorian era dance music mixed with a fresh new Steampunk beat!
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