December 4th, 11th, and 18th
Historic City Farmers Market, Downtown Roanoke

Dickens of a Christmas had its beginnings in Roanoke, Virginia’s historic downtown market area more than twenty-six years ago. It all began as a way to encourage holiday shopping in the district. With the historic market area decorated in old-fashioned greenery and bows, merchants would dress in Victorian costume and offer cookies and cocoa to shoppers for a weekend in December. This provided a fun-filled alternative to holiday shopping at a mall.

Now … twenty-plus years later … the event is a beloved holiday festival. For the last six years Dickens of a Christmas has won the Roanoker Magazine's platinum award (the highest possible) for "Best Tradition" in Roanoke, voted by the readers of the magazine. Dickens also received gold awards in 2004 and 2006 for “Best Annual Event” from the Roanoker Magazine. Dickens’ popularity has also made it a “Top Twenty Event in the Southeast” as judged by the Southeast Tourism Society for 2007 & 2008.

Dickens is fun for the whole family with horse drawn carriage rides, carolers in the streets, a myriad of street performances, re-enactors dressed in costume, music and dance, vendors selling their wares, outdoor holiday movie, pet costume contest, a special ‘kids zone area’ and much more. St. Nicholas strolls the district giving candy to children and telling Christmas stories. Involved merchants and organizations give away roasted chestnuts, hot cocoa, hot apple cider and other goodies to attendees.