General Information

Join us in 2024 for 5 weekends, Nov. 23 – Dec. 22, including the Friday after Thanksgiving! Early Bird Tickets on Sale Now Thru Oct. 15 Only

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a one-of-a-kind immersive adventure into Victorian London _~ an elaborate holiday party with hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons in over 140,000 square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance floors, and festive shops.

What:

It’s a twilight evening in Charles Dickens’ London Town – a city of winding lanes filled with colorful characters from both literature and history. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Cries of street vendors hawking their wares ring out above the bustling crowd. Dozens of lamplit shops are filled to overflowing with handmade gifts. The Dickens Christmas Fair is a treasured Bay Area tradition since 1970 and a splendid way to celebrate the holidays. Enjoy new immersive experiences, and a live steam train as you arrive in the Victoria Station lobby.

Where:

When:

Five weekends from November 23 through December 22 including the Friday after Thanksgiving, from 10 am to 6 pm.

Who:

Brought to you by Red Barn Productions and the Patterson Family, who created and directed the popular Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Black Point in Marin for 25 years. The Fair partners with and supports several nonprofits dedicated to perpetuating the arts and education through lively, engaging, living history events and programs.

Tickets are available Online Only:

Tickets on sale now. Please note that Red Barn Productions, producers of The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, is the only official seller. There are no authorized ticket resellers or on-site box office. For questions please email [email protected]

Parking:

To park, all vehicles including handicapped, use the main Cow Palace entrance at 2600 Geneva Ave., and park as directed. Parking fees are charged at the entrance to the lot by the Cow Palace. The Cow Palace charges $20 per vehicle for parking (email us about large vehicle parking). Cow Palace parking attendants will accept both cash and credit card.

For more information about accessible parking, please visit the FAQ page here, and click on Accessible Parking.

Public Transportation:

Accessibility:
The Fair is handicapped-accessible. The Great Dickens Christmas Fair strives to be welcoming and accessible to everyone, including individuals with special needs and disabilities. Please see our FAQ page for more information, including how to request special accommodations. When onsite, please look for those wearing the green “London Guest Services” jackets for questions and assistance.

Wheelchairs are available for rental at the Cloak Check inside the Fair on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Dickens Fair strives to make its event as accessible and comfortable as possible for all visitors regardless of their physical or mental impairments. Reserved parking, golf cart shuttles, accessible toilets, designated seating, baby changing and nursing facilities, and interpreted shows are some of the ways we welcome everyone to London.

ASL Interpretation:
Select shows will be signed for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by our team of qualified ASL Interpreters on special days. 2024 on-site interpreter dates are 3 Saturdays: November 30, and December 7th and 14th. Please look for this symbol    on show boards posted outside each of our individual stages.

Costumes:
Victorian costumes are encouraged but certainly not required for our patrons. Please feel free to ‘come as you are‘ to enjoy your adventure into Dickens’ London. If you wish to attend in costume, please see our Public Costume Policy for more information, and to help you get into the spirit and play along at any level you wish.

Even a hat or bonnet will make you feel like you are stepping back in time with us! Special note: please do not come dressed as Father Christmas, Ebeneezer Scrooge, or other principal characters from Dickens’ works.

For a deeper dive, you may wish to puruse our Victorian Costume Guidelines.

Entertainment:
Continuous performances on multiple stages and in the streets of “Dickens’ London” are included in the price of admission. Enjoy holiday “parlor games” or learn a new dance in Fezziwig’s Warehouse, sing-along to boisterous music hall offerings in Mad Sal’s Dockside Alehouse, and engage with a rollicking cast of colorful characters such as London’s chimney sweeps, Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, or Mr. Dickens himself.

Experiences:
Visitors can enrich their Victorian holiday with curated Experiences and mysteries to solve. Book an informative and delicious Port and Chocolate or Extraordinary Champagne Tasting, or build an exotic elixir in the Jekyll and Hyde Pub Crawl. The more adventurous may enjoy The Dark Garden Corset Experience – indulge in an authentic Victorian corset fitting with contemporary corsetry’s most experienced and sought-after name.

Victoria Station – Live Steam Train: New this year, visitors will discover a miniature live steam train as they arrive at the Fair’s Victoria Station lobby. Guests of all ages can purchase a ride and learn about historic live-steam associations. Conductors will then usher visitors through the Station and into London in San Francisco.

Especially For Children:
Punch and Judy puppet shows, Victorian fairies, Father Christmas, and interactive theatrical performances; games, the Adventure Carousel, and hands-on holiday activities; Victorian arts and crafts.

Food & Drink:
Gourmet chefs offer delicious foods from around the world, including English bangers and fish ‘n’ chips, exotic Greek delicacies, French onion soup, and enticing desserts. Five authentic pubs offer Craft Ales from local breweries to satisfy the heartiest thirst. A selection of fine wines and champagne is available by the glass. For Port & Chocolate Tastings and other immersive fun, visit the Experiences page.

Shopping:
Visit the shops of London to find one-of-a-kind treasures, Victorian reproductions, fine art, romantic clothing, glittering pewter, and dazzling jewelry. Complete your holiday shopping or discover the perfect something for a loved one.

Christmas Trees for Sale:
Purchase your tree at the Fair and support the amazing Delancy Street Foundation! Learn about the Delancy Street Foundation and make supporting their important work, a new holiday tradition!

Prepare for the Fair:
Get into the spirit of the holidays with our recommendations for movie classics, books, and videos.

Land Acknowledgement:
As Red Barn Productions welcomes participants and audience members to The Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace in Daly City, we wish to acknowledge the Ramaytush Ohlone, and the Miwok, Yokuts, and Patwin, as well as other Ohlone peoples who have stewarded this land througout the generations and will continue to steward this land for future generations.

Re-Entry:
Visitors to the fair may leave and re-enter by receiving a hand stamp upon exit.

Pets:
Except for trained and registered service animals, the Dickens Christmas Fair does not allow pets inside the venue.

Smoking:
The Cow Palace is a non-smoking facility. A smoking tent is provided outside near the lower entrance.

Lodging:
For those of you traveling to the Fair, please visit our preferred hotels & accommodations page.

Support the Cow Palace:
The Cow Palace is a valuable community and cultural asset for the Bay Area and the State. It is also essential to the quality presentation of The Dickens Christmas Fair with its Historic Exhibition Halls reminiscent of Covent Garden in London. Don’t miss the Grand National Rodeo in October! Show your support by attending the Rodeo and other great shows at the Cow Palace, such as the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show.  Please sign up at cowpalace.com for email updates of all Cow Palace events.

“I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.”

_~ Charles Dickens, David Copperfield