The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, San Francisco

The holidays in San Francisco are a truly wonderful time of the year. There are all manner of events taking place -- from the Embarcadero ice rink, to Union Square walking tours. There's one very special event you may like to check out called the Great Dickens Christmas Fair.

Held inside the Cow Palace Exhibition halls, the event creates 120,000 square feet of Victorian London for you and your family to explore. Costumed characters and performers roam the city of London, filled with pubs, dance halls, charming Christmas shops with homemade wares and many more.

Inside, the lighting is set for twilight, and you can explore a number of winding lanes, meeting all the colorful, historical characters of the time such as Charles Dickens, Jules Verne and Lewis Carroll. You'll enjoy the smell roasted chestnuts and other aromas, and vendors will stand out in the streets to hawk their wares.

All kinds of hand made and magical Christmas gifts overflow from the little shops, romantically lit with antique lamps. You'll understand why The Dickens Christmas Fair has been such a cherished San Francisco event since 1970.

There's also a children's tour, with all kinds of wonderful distractions and attractions for kids to enjoy along the way. The tour starts at the entrance, where Mr Fezziwig is having a party for everyone at his warehouse. Kids can dance and play or simply look on.

Getting there

A free shuttle bus operates every 20 minutes from the Glen Park BART station, approximately 15 minutes from downtown San Francisco. The shuttle runs between 10:15am and 7pm. The last shuttle of the day departs the fair at 7pm.

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