Revive Old English Charm at Dickens Victorian Village
God bless us every one! Those words of Tiny Tim from Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” ring out over Cambridge, Ohio each holiday season as their downtown is magically transformed into Dickens Victorian Village.
Charles Dickens would have enjoyed walking Wheeling Avenue during November and December. The downtown becomes Merry Olde England with scenes from Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” as well as those that portray life at that time.
Stroll down the street as you view the 94 scenes with 164 life-size mannequins dressed in Victorian style. They can be found under every lamppost for five blocks. Read the brass plaques to discover the connection to Charles Dickens and Victorian times.
The Dickens Creative Team refurbishes the scenes each year working from February through October. Repairs are made on everything from damaged clothing to problems with the framework.
The small details they include with hats, capes, and jewelry make the scenes come to life.
This year a special book has been created for Dickens Victorian Village by a local writers’ group, Rainy Day Writers, with pictures and stories of each of those 94 scenes. Pick up a copy for a great memory of your visit back to Victorian times.
Stop at the Dickens Welcome Center and Curiosity Shoppe to learn more about the events taking place each weekend. Here you will also find Imagination Station where guests can dress in Victorian costume and have their pictures taken with the figure of Charles Dickens himself, or in front of a beautiful Christmas tree.
Fourteen years ago, Dickens Victorian Village began and has been expanding ever since. Enjoy the small-town flavor of unique shops, home-style food, and local holiday events from November 1 through December 31. Everything for a happy holiday feeling is happening in downtown Cambridge.
Notice that small town glow from the unique gift shops that line the main street. Stop at the locally-owned restaurants for old-fashioned home cooking. Review the schedule in the Visitors Guide to find special events such as Victorian teas, Dickens Marathon Book Reading, musical shows, trolley rides and others that you might enjoy. Have a Dickens of an experience!
Before heading home for the evening, stop at the Courthouse Holiday Light Show. This spectacular show begins each evening at 5:30 and goes on continuously until 9:00. There are over 60,000 lights synchronized to holiday music with an entire hour of different programming that makes this an extra-special attraction.
Benches on the courthouse lawn are filled each evening with families who want to sit back and enjoy the show. Children dance on the lawn as the music plays.
Many families have made their visit a family tradition year after year. If the weather is cold, you can sit in your car and turn the radio to a local station to hear the music from the warmth of your vehicle.
Visit their website at www.DickensVictorianVillage.com for a calendar of events to find just the right time for your family to visit. Mark your calendar now for a step back into Victorian times to catch the holiday spirit.
Believe in the magic of Christmas!
Dickens Victorian Village Cambridge
