It was a magical weekend on a magical island.

The 9th Annual Dickens on Centre festival was held December 7 – 10 in historic downtown Fernandina Beach and was a holiday hit for young and old alike!

The Victorian festival kicked off with the Dickens Illuminated Procession where folks gathered at the riverfront with something that glowed or twinkled and then took a stroll through the downtown historic district. The air was filled with the spirit of the season ending the evening with an awe-inspiring drone show. Weekend highlights included Saturday morning’s one-mile Run Like the Dickens fun run along the sandy shores of Main Beach; the Enchanted Village that allowed folks to create cherished holiday memories within uniquely decorated Christmas-themed snow globes; and the 21 & over Dickens After Dark Victorian costume party where holiday food and beverages, stilt walkers, and specialty entertainment from singer Mama Blue, along with the Kristen Sparrow Circus entertained the crowd. Wow!

As if that weren’t enough, throughout the weekend festival attendees could also have pictures made with St. Nick, watch holiday movies in Tiny Tim’s Kid Zone, purchase arts, crafts and delicious treats from one of the many vendors selling their wares, and be entertained by dancers, singers, actors, and more on one of two stages!

If you happened to miss it this year, take a look at this recap and then mark your calendar and make reservations NOW for next year’s festival (December 12 – 15, 2024) which promises to be MERRIER than ever!