Dicken's Fair

I heard about the Dicken's Fair (Charles Dicken's world of 1851 London) from Judy and Sophie and decided to take the kids today. I had never been to the Dicken's Fair but it is like a Rennaisannce Fair except it is indoors at the Cow Palance (large convention center like warehouse space in south San Francisco) and it is Victorian England. I recall wanting to go to the Renaisannce Fair so badly when I was a child/teen in Honolulu and my dad took my brother Darren and I once and it was fun. I also recall going to a Rennaisannce Fair in the early to mid 1990's in Napa Valley area and I recall it being dusty and hot.



I made the kids wear some period-like clothes…which for them is pretty limited. Both boys wore their vests and long sleeved shirts (Ant's shirt and vest are from the Apple Valley Days of 2nd grade and were originally used by Ramsey 5 years ago) but I let them wear jeans/pants. Ant's pants are super small, short and tight. It's time for him to get some new pants. He is really growing.



There were a lot of actors in period costume walking around. There was a robot/machine (man in a suit) walking around behind Ram and Ant.



We watched a few short plays. The one above is Queen Victoria and her children (I believe she had 8!) decorating a Christmas tree brought home by her husband Prince Albert. The kids in the audience were invited to decorate the tree also and Ram and Ant went and then they went to shake the Queen's hand and got a British flag.



We watched a super funny magician called Jim Chimney and waited around for the next magic act (above) which wasn't very good but Ant did volunteer to help with the acts.



There was a wall of cutouts to pose with in the children's area. Ram (naughty) poked his head through and as soon as he saw me with the camera phone, he would pop back in. Think whack-a-mole except whack-a-Ram!



There were these beautiful carved candles for sale which were being hand made as we watched. Beautiful.



The boys decided to dip their own candle ($8 for 2) and Ant originally picked a teddy bear but they were all out of those so he picked a sheep. They each dipped one but after we finished I found out these are ornamental only…the wick doesn't go all the way through.



Posing with sheep...



We had a fun time and stayed for 4 hours. Hen went to work to complete a presentation for this coming week…he has been procrastinating all holiday (Thursday, Friday and even Saturday/today morning) about doing it. I'm glad the boys and I went to the Dicken's Fair and perhaps it's time for us to read some books by Charles Dicken's.