Although the recent warmer weather may betray the coming of winter, the holiday season is indeed nearly upon us! Every December, the community of Ripon hosts a special event to bring in the holiday spirit. This year Dickens of a Christmas falls on the weekend of November 29-December 2.
According to the Ripon Chamber of Commerce’s website, “Dickens of a Christmas began when a handful of dedicated community members decided to organize a Victorian-themed festival as a tribute to the stunning Victorian architecture and homes throughout Ripon.” Today, the event has evolved into celebration of Ripon’s community, the holiday season, and the great author himself, Charles Dickens.
Dickens of a Christmas is a weekend celebration starting Thursday night and continuing through Sunday morning. Friday night is the largest celebration including horse-drawn carriage rides, free hot cider and cocoa, a live nativity, and a gingerbread house contest.
“Dickens is a tradition in Ripon. It’s a great way for college students to become involved in the community that surrounds them and to celebrate with others,” notes Emelia Erickson ’15, the student volunteer coordinator for the event.
One of the largest draws on Friday night is the Living Windows display. From 6:30-8:30 PM, businesses on Watson Street donate their front windows to community members and college groups for the enactment of the year’s Living Window theme. This year, because of Dickens’ 200th birthday, the theme is “Life in the 1800’s.” According to Erickson, this “encompasses everything [in the 1800’s] from technology to music to contemporaries of Dickens.”
Making its 23rd appearance at Dickens, “the Living Windows display is the high point of Dickens of a Christmas. Several campus groups will be participating in it this year. The whole street will be lit up; the windows filled with people acting out life in the 1800s,” Erickson continues.
Another major event at Dickens is Las Posadas, a Mexican celebration of the holiday. Starting on Friday night at 7:15 PM, there will be a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem which will include traditional hymns. At the end of the reenactment, a celebration including Mexican foods and traditional beverages will take place. Also part of the festivities is a piñata.
Other events throughout the weekend include a holiday craft show, the Tour of Churches which visits some of the old, beautiful buildings in Ripon, the Enchanted Forrest (a vast display of decorated Christmas trees by First Congregational Church), the Dickens Dash (a two mile fun run hosted by Ripon Medical Center on Sunday), and the Night of Nativities (a viewing of nativities from all over the world displayed by St. Peter’s Episcopal Church). Many other events also occur throughout the weekend. For more information about the events at Dickens of a Christmas or to see what events have a fee, go to the Ripon Chamber of Commerce website at: www. ripon-wi.com.
“There are still plenty of opportunities for students to become involved at the event,” shares Erickson. Volunteers are needed to help set-up the quilt show as well as helping run some of the smaller events.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can help with Dickens of a Christmas, please contact ericksone@ripon.edu or visit the Office of Community Engagement on the second floor of Hardwood Memorial Union.
