Ye Olde Christmas Festival

Dickensian Christmas Festival 2008



With the bitter winter winds blowing through the highstreet, the Dickensian Christmas Festival began in Rochester. Every inch of the highstreet was taken back in time. The Strood end of the town was set up for the brass band and the poor traveller's children who sing christmas carols, the middle of the town was covered in snow, obviously not real snow but very effective never-the-less, the far end of the town was where you could find most of the characters from Charles Dickens novels in all their costumes.

However, some of the more interesting events are to be found off the highstreet nearer the castle and cathedral. I managed to catch an excellent performance of Haversham, a sort of cut down account of the life of Lady Haversham, and despite a couple of the performers forgeting their lines they quickly and comically continued. Great stuff.

During the course of the two day event there are a few times when dozens of characters and musicians parade down the length of the highstreet, this is definately one of the highlights of the whole event.

Most of the shops also make an effort to join in by setting up a stall outside their store and taking part in the dressing up.

Meanwhile the castle grounds has plenty of amusements to keep the little-ones entertained if their not interested in the historical re-enactments going on.

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