SAN FRANCISCO—It’s that time of year again, the annual Great Charles Dickens Christmas Fair has returned to the San Francisco area.  The event which is sponsored by Red Barn Productions and the Patterson Family who were responsible for the creation of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Black Point in Marin for more than 25 years.  The Dicken’s Christmas Fair has been a tradition in the Bay Area for almost 40 years.

The event is a re-creation of a Victorian London complete with various activities for everyone in the family to enjoy.  The London town is composed of more than 90,000 square feet and includes a vibrant array of characters from literature.  Such characters featured at the event include Father Christmas, Charles Dickens, Dr. David Livingston, Sir Richard Francis Burton, Lady Burdette Coutes, Ebeneezer Scrooge, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Oliver Twist and a host of others.

For entertainment the family can indulge in live concerts, on five different stages accompanied with lively music or to keep the kids occupied there are puppet shows and tons of arts and crafts and games to keep them busy.  As for food the fair has a slew of dishes from across the globe including fish and chips and Greek masterpieces.   For those hoping to get an early start on their Christmas shopping the fair offers a string of stores that are bound to provide the perfect holiday gift.

A new trend at this year’s event involves each patron receiving their own Victorian name, a Passport to the Past and tokens that can be used to win prizes.  The event began on the Friday, November 23, 2007 and goes ever weekend until December 23, 2007.  Cost for adults is $22, students, seniors, or person of the military can get in for $19, and for children 5-11 the cost is only $10.  Children under five years of age get in free.  The fair is taking place at the Cow Palace Exhibition Halls on 2600 Geneva Avenue.