Join us on February 23-24, 2019 in Historic Downtown Riverside for another weekend of family friendly fun and educational entertainment celebrating the wit and wisdom of Charles Dickens’ life and times.
We are very excited and proud to announce that the 2019 Riverside Dickens Festival will be our 26th year. The featured novel will be David Copperfield.
Street performers and costumed guests will fill Main Street transporting visitors to Victorian London. You might run into famous writers such as Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe and the Bronte sisters or even inventor Tesla. Everyone is welcome to stop the famed time travelers for a quick photo or questions about their life and times.
Activities for the young and young at heart are planned in Oliver’s Alley, a Historical Encampment for the History Buffs, Themed Escape Rooms, a Victorian Fashion Show the Fashionistas, and a Tavern with local craft beer from Packinghouse for adults who need to sit down and take a break!
The Festival was created by a small group of Riverside residents who wanted to promote cultural arts and literacy in the fall of 1993. Since then the Festival has grown in size and outreach. Originally the Festival fit in the small space in front of the Main Library in Downtown Riverside. Today the festival is on Main Street from University Avenue to the Historic Riverside Court House near 11th Street with the Royal Victorian Tea Room and Music Hall at the First Congregational Church on Lemon Street.
Through the sponsorship of local organizations like the Riverside Chamber of Commerce the Festival offers free in-school performances by Charles Dickens (portrayed by Paul Jacques) and Edgar Allan Poe (portrayed by Travis Rhett Wilson). The focus of the performances is on cultural history and literacy. Students are so enthralled by the performances they often line up after to take pictures with the actors and ask questions about the life and times of the historical figures they portray.
Additionally the Festival sponsors an essay contests for Riverside & San Bernardino students. The Middle School (grades 6-8) topic this year is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The High School Contest will focus on the David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. For more details about participating in the essay contest, please see The Riverside Dickens Festival website.
Mark your calendars for our 2019 festivities:
- Pickwick’s Pub Night Fundraiser February 16, 2019
- The Riverside Dickens Festival February 23-24, 2019
- Fezziwig’s Ball at the Fox Theater February 23, 2019
- Evensong February 24, 2019