The town of Carlyle will once again become a destination for holiday cheer at the beginning of this coming December. The town will revel in the traditions of the Christmas literary classic, A Christmas Carol, with Main Street and several other parts of the town celebrating in 19th century English style, on Dec. 2 and 3.
This year marks the 14th annual Dickens Village Festival in Carlyle, and committee member and promoter Shelley Slykhuis said many of the classic crowd favourites that have drawn guests to the town in previous years, such as the high tea, many delicious food offerings and lighted parade, will be returning this year.
“It’s a unique festival, and it kind of takes the commercialization out of Christmas. It’s a start to the Christmas season with a bunch of fun activities. We’ve got Scrooge out there saying ‘Bah humbug, don’t waste your money!’ to guests. We’ve got many people in costumes; English Bobbies and Father Christmas,” said Slykhuis. “It brings you back and lets you have fun, no matter how old you are.”
Fezziwig’s Family Pub will be open again this year, where there will be free entertainment from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., on both days. There will be informational booth for guests to find out what is going on, and where, and there will also Festival of Trees from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. put on by Cornerstone Family & Youth. On Main Street, Tiny Tim’s Tasting Tour will feature up to 13 local businesses that have an assortment of delicious food for guests, running from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
Other attractions include the English Market Craft Sale, featuring an assortment of homemade goods at the Happy Gang Club, horse-drawn carriage rides on both days, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. along Main Street, and children posing as Dickensian street urchins, begging for money in a fundraising effort. Its proceeds will go to a number of local organizations.
Some of the food to be offered by street vendors as part of Tiny Tim’s Tasting Tour include clam and corn chowder, smoked turkey legs, baked potatoes, smokey on a stick, pierogis and an assortment of holiday desserts, including the ever popular Christmas puddings. Later in the evening, there will be a lighted parade at 6 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, followed by a Christmas comedy musical at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Slykhuis said the Cornerstone Theatre’s Christmas production is always a very popular event, with this year being no exception to that trend.
“The play is likely sold out by now. By Nov. 1, it was close to being sold out, so there aren’t many tickets left. It’s been a version of the Christmas Carol ever year, and this year it’s a ‘50s-‘60s theme, and it’s called Wake Up, Little Scroogy,” she said, describing the rock and roll-themed retelling of a Christmas Carol. “We’ve done one a couple of years ago, that’s western themeed, where Scrooge was a rancher, and even Johnny Cash came out and sang a song. It’s not the same every year, which gives it a nice variety and it keeps things fresh.”
Slykhuis encouraged anyone who wants to see the play and is worried they won’t have a seat at the Dickens Village, to check it out this weekend, when it will be performed in Arcola, on Nov. 26, at the Prairie Place Hall, as part of a fundraiser for the town.
On Saturday morning, the festivities in Carlyle will continue, with Breakfast With Santa, an event for the youngsters put on by the RCMP. People attending are encouraged to bring donations for the local food bank. Later in the morning, at 10 a.m. there will be a children’s version of A Christmas Carol performed, and free skating will take place at the Carlyle Sports Arena from 2 to 4 p.m.
It truly takes a village of people to create a village, given that many local organizations benefit from the weekend event, and several more work together to organize it. Slykhuis added that the weekend gives Carlyle a chance to shine, since it is showcased to the many guests who come from across Canada to attend. Many of the people who help make the Dickens Village a success every year are volunteers, from the street urchins to those organizing the High Tea. The three local churches are involved, along with the Knights of Columbus, the local fire department, and Karate, skating and gymnastics clubs.
“The food bank benefits, because Breakfast With Santa donations go to the food bank. The elementary school makes gingerbread houses from each class, that are auctioned off. There’s the Festival of Trees, which auctions items,” said Slykhuis. “Our theatre group runs the Fezziwig’s Family Pub, so the finances help to keep our theatre going. All the renovations to our hall come from the financial benefits of these weekends.”
The popularity of the weekend is widespread, with word of the 19th century stylings of the Dickens Village extending far beyond southeastern Saskatchewan. People come from across Saskatchewan to attend, and from provinces as far away as Newfoundland. Many visitors also drive up from the U.S.
“We have a cousin who is married to someone from England, and when they finally came, they said, ‘Considering you’re not British, you’ve done a very good job,’” said Slykhuis. “To the best of our knowledge, ours is the only Dickens Village that has been continual in Canada. They’ve attempted it in other places, but it hasn’t lasted.”
One thing Slykhuis is hoping for this year is weather as good as it was lsat year. She noted that the quality of the weather has a significant influence on the number of guests.
“Last year, there were so many people because the weather was beautiful. For the first few years, it was colder, but it was unique, so people came out. Last year was our best year yet, because of the weather,” said Slykhuis. “On Friday, it’s going to be as high as plus six, so it looks like it will be another good one.”
