Carlyle is about to be transported back into the Victorian era once again, with the 12th annual Dickens Village Festival being held on Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6.
Shelley Slykhuis, the event chair, is looking forward to another year and is especially excited for being able to spread the word about the festival even further.
鈥淎 couple came last year and encouraged me to advertise on the Yorkton radio station ROCK 98.5,鈥� Slykhuis explained. 鈥淪o, I emailed them and they had not heard of our festival.鈥�
This led to the excitement of a radio interview with on Monday, Nov. 17, which Slykhuis hopes will draw even more people to Carlyle for the first weekend of December.
鈥淭hey are also having a two week contest. People phone to get their name in the draw for four tickets to the play donated by Cornerstone Theatre Inc., a jar of Christmas pudding, and high tea coupons donated by the United Church ladies and the Catholic Church donated four cups of chowder,鈥� Slykhuis stated.
This prize goes to show the level of community togetherness that the Dickens Festival thrives on and is one of the main reasons it has been so successful.
Slykhuis enjoys encouraging everyone to enjoy the festival and is therefore going to be wearing her costume to the interview.
Additionally Sheila and Katie Menard will join Slykhuis in Estevan on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to give a presentation to the Christian Women's After 5 Club in Estevan.
鈥淥ur advertising is spreading and hopefully new people and the regulars come for a fun family oriented festival!鈥� Slykhuis exclaimed.
With an expectation of having more people come to enjoy the festival the committee is encouraging people to decorate their homes and store fronts immediately.
鈥淭here will be three buses coming to shop on Nov. 21 and 22, and Nov. 28 and 29. Having our community all decked out, what an awesome way to welcome shoppers!鈥� Slykhuis stated. 鈥淭here will be a bus of 65 women coming on Friday, Dec 5. They will be participating in our festival activities.鈥�
Not only is it exciting to have the town decked out in holiday decorations, but there annual decorating contest is a fun way the committee continues to encourage the community to embrace the festival. The judging of the contest will occur between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4.
Other old favourites will be back with entertainment at Fezziwig's Pub (Memorial Hall), Tiny Tim's Taster Tour, carriage rides with Edna and Herman Fornwald, four different craft markets, High Tea at the United Church, Cornerstone Family and Youth's Festival of Trees, the delicious food sold by vendors which make the perfect snack during the lighted parade. The Cornerstone Theatre performers will be putting on a variant of 鈥淎 Christmas Carol,鈥� with Mackenzie Easton's imagined performance based on the classic titled, 鈥淎 Community Christmas Carol.鈥�
Breakfast with Santa will again be hosted on the Saturday morning with Food Bank donations being collected, which will be followed by the Children's Version of a Christmas Carol read by Diane Twietmeyer and Barb Haddow.
Magician Patrick Roth will perform at 1 p.m. on the Saturday and will be joined by pictures with Santa between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. that will be taken by the Carlyle Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淟ast year we had Santa day during Dickens. It was Saturday afternoon in the hall. It worked well,鈥� Slykhuis explained.
Joining these classic features will be the new carriage display in West Park, which Slykhuis is excited about: 鈥淭he structure is done, now to prep the inside. The finished display will house a life size horse with harness, carriage, and winter decorations (Christmas trees, lights and white stone representing snow).鈥�
This will be a permanent display to remind visitors to Carlyle about the community festival.
Though a decorating coordinator has not been found for this year the committee would appreciate any help the community can give to pull the town together.
The Dickens Committee is looking for carollers to take sing between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day.
鈥淛ust gather a group and sing! On the street and in stores. We do have a booklet of carols that will be at the informational table in the hall,鈥� Slykhuis explained.
With the last few years being quite cold out, a member of the Knights of Columbus has built a warming structure. It will be placed near the Royal Bank both nights where people can warm up their hands between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Though there are no new characters this year, a variety of costumes will be made available to borrow between Nov. 25 and 26 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. for the festival from the CYC office.
鈥淭here are no new characters this year though there are thoughts of incorporating Charles Dickens' son. He came to Canada and joined the North West Mounted Police.鈥�
