Event Description

The Heritage Foundation’s 34th Annual Dickens of a Christmas, Presented by First Citizens National Bank is Middle Tennessee’s largest outdoor Christmas festival returning this year on December 8 & 9, 2018!

Saturday, December 8 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, December 9 | 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

The festival will recreate the time of Charles Dickens using historic downtown Franklin’s Victorian architecture as the backdrop. Some 200 musicians, dancers and characters will fill the streets, including several from Charles Dickens’s stories. Expect to see and interact with the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit with his parents from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children.

As more attention is turned toward downtown Franklin in both the local and national press, we encourage festival goers to dress in Victorian costume and to add to the ambiance as they stroll the streets.

This year’s event will reprise a crowd favorite from last year: it WILL snow at Dickens of a Christmas! Come decked out in holiday style to capture that perfect family picture.

The event is free and open to the public; some attractions will involve a small fee.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
NEW! Festival Mobile App (launch timing and download information coming soon)

Heritage Foundation Members-Only VIP Lounge: Our Heritage Foundation members not only support our mission of “saving places that matter” in Williamson County, but they also receive countless member benefits throughout the year. This new benefit will offer a comfortable, cool space for members to relax, grab some snacks and refreshments and mingle with other members.

Vintage Craft Demonstrations
Blacksmith
Woodcarving
Bookbinding
Broom Making
Apple Head Doll Making
Yarn Spinning
Calligraphy
and More!

150 Arts & Crafts Vendors

Food Trucks & Street Food Vendors

Live Entertainment
Holiday Music Featured on Three Stages: Guitar Center Main Stage, 1st Avenue Stage, 4th Avenue Stage (full entertainment schedule coming soon)
Roaming Carolers
Town Sing – Saturday & Sunday at 4:00 pm

Victorian Characters Strolling throughout Downtown

Multiple Photo Opp Areas
Guaranteed Snow for Photos
Father Christmas
Decorated Vintage Truck
and More!

Kids’ Zone
Miniature Train Ride
Petting Zoo

Contests
Festive Victorian Beard Contest, Sponsored by Lucky Scruff – Saturday
Victorian Costume Contest – Sunday
Online Registration for these contests will go live on Thursday, November 15

PARKING
Franklin Transit shuttles will be running park-n-ride services for $1 each way. Park-n-ride locations will be announced soon!

There is also limited parking downtown (no street parking within the festival footprint): http://downtownfranklintn.com/map/.

For handicap accessible parking, please use the 2nd and 4th Avenue garages; or the park and ride options as all Franklin Transit vehicles are ADA accessible.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
Presented by: First Citizens National Bank
In Partnership with: City of Franklin
Partner-Level Sponsors: The Heritage at Brentwood, GSRM Law, Hyundai of Cool Springs, MARS Petcare
Main Stage Sponsor: Guitar Center
Main Stage Announcers Provided By: Mix 92.9
Media Partners: Mix 92.9 and JACKfm
Beard Contest Sponsor: Lucky Scruff
All Phase Electric — Official Electrician for All Heritage Foundation Festivals

LEARN MORE: https://williamsonheritage.org/dickens

Producing Dickens of a Christmas is just one of the many activities of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN. Since 1967 the 501(c)3 non-profit has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Williamson County’s historic, architectural and geographic resources; in short, saving the places that matter.