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 is perpetually Christmas Eve at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! The Fair transports you to the London of Charles Dickens – a city of winding lanes filled with colorful characters from both literature and history – all in a festive mood! 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:
The Historic Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City, California. The Cow Palace is a large event center located on the boarder of San Francisco and Daly City. Click here for directions.
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 Dickens Christmas Fair supports several nonprofits dedicated to perpetuating the arts 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:
Vehicles with a California ADA placard or carrying a passenger who cannot transfer on and off the courtesy shuttle or navigate the exterior ramp will be directed to the Accessible Parking Lot outside the lower hall. BEFORE unloading your wheelchair or other device, locate a London Guest Services member (identified by a dark green jacket) outside the white tent entrance for vehicle escort. Please note that some drivers may be directed to park in the upper ADA parking lot after dropping off their passengers below.
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. For those with Wheelchairs, please see Parking section above.
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.
Audience Interaction & Code of Conduct: One of the wonderful and unique parts of the Fair experience is the opportunity for immersive interaction between you as a guest and the hundreds of costumed performers and merchants who guide you back in time. You are encouraged to mingle and engage with the various people and characters you will meet. During these interactions, please be respectful, kind, and considerate. Harassment or discrimination of any participant or customer will not be tolerated per our company Code of Conduct. Thank you.
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.
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.
Discover the Historic Cow Palace:
The Cow Palace is a unique and important community and cultural asset for the Bay Area and the State of California. It is also home to the annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair since 2000! Don’t miss the Grand National Rodeo each October! Visit cowpalace.com for the current schedule of events and join their email list for updates.
How to Reach Us:
Red Barn Productions
PO Box 1768, Novato CA 94948
Toll free (800) 510-1558
Email: [email protected]
“I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world.”
~ Charles Dickens, David Copperfield