December 7, 14, and 21 - 2018

Be a part of the memories for the Roanoke Valley's premiere holiday celebration, The Roanoke Times Dickens of a Christmas! Celebrating its 36th anniversary, Dickens occurs on the first three Fridays in December. This free, family-friendly event happens annually in Downtown Roanoke and includes favorites like roasted chestnuts, carriage rides, street performers, Amtrak's Kids Zone and more! 

We're looking for volunteers to help us out on the 3 nights of Dickens. Sign up here!

This year's schedule is:

• Friday, December 7, 5:30pm - 10:00pm - featuring the City of Roanoke Christmas Tree Lighting at 6:15pm
• Friday, December 14, 6:00pm - 10:00pm - featuring the City of Roanoke Christmas Parade at 7:30pm (later start due to Franklin Rd bridge construction)
• Friday, December 21, 6:00pm - 10:00pm - featuring Coca Cola Snow Zone and RVSPCA Pet Costume Contest at 6:30pm
  • Registration for the pet costume contest starts at 5:30pm in Wells Fargo Plaza. Register, get a number for your pet, and be ready for the contest starting at 6:30pm

If you're interested in applying to participate in this year's parade, download the parade application.

Interested in becoming a 2018 Dickens Vendor? Fill out our Vendor Application! 

Click the image below to see our insert with full celebration details! Thanks to our sponsors for making this event possible!