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A Dickens of a Christmas

The Fort brings back its annual Christmas fair

-Messenger file photo
Jodi Delaney, of Fort Dodge, helps Nathan Graves, 12, of Dayton, make sure his hat is adjusted properly as he portrays one of the urchins entertaining guests at A Dickens of a Christmas at The Fort event in the Opera House at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village in 2018.

Shop, play and feast at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village Opera House this holiday season during the second annual A Dickens of a Christmas on Saturday. Come join the many “Shoppe Keepers” where guests will discover countless treasures as the marketplace captures Christmas during the time of Charles Dickens.

“You will meet a multitude of characters from Dickens’ novels, such as, ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Oliver Twist,'” said Laura Crowl, executive director of the Fort Museum and Frontier Village. “This is a very uplifting family Christmas shopping event with an ‘Oliver Twist.'”

Some of the characters guests will interact with include, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchitt and his family, Oliver Twist, Fagin, Nancy, and the Artful Dodger.

”Guests will be able to interact with the Dickens characters as well as listening to them sing beautiful Christmas carols,” said Misty Mackay, tour and volunteer coordinator at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village. During the annual event, guests will also have the opportunity to shop more than 40 different vendors.

Mackay said, ”There will be plenty of craft vendors, Paparazzi, homemade honey, Christmas baskets, homemade quilts, and LulaRoe to name a few. BBQ Kings will also be coming back and they are always a big hit with their homemade BBQ sauces and seasonings.” Santa will again be featured this year during the event. Children will be able to tell Santa their wishes for Christmas as well as write him a Christmas letter while their parents are shopping. There will also be food and beverages for sale for guests.

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Brayden Schuster, playing Oliver Twist for the Dickens Christmas, thinks over his next move while playing checkers with his grandpa, Joe Kangley. Schuster said he was originally going to be Tiny Tim, but he got switched.

”We will have comfort foods, pies, and even hot cinnamon rolls available for guests to purchase,” Crowl said.

”A Dickens of a Christmas’ a fun, engaging, theatrical environment that brings classic Charles Dickens’ characters to life during the holiday season.

”This is our second year holding ‘A Dickens of a Christmas at the Fort’ at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village,,” Crowl said, ”In order to bring more awareness about what the museum offers and to draw people to the museum, we have decided to hold numerous events throughout the year that are entertaining and family oriented.”

A Dickens of a Christmas at the Fort will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 1 Museum Road in Fort Dodge between Iowa Central Community College and the Friendship Haven campus.

Admission is free and parking is adjacent to the Opera House and Frontier Village Trading Post building.

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Sheena Minnehan, of Ten Oak Lane in Churdan, who got into costume for the occasion, talks about wood products at her booth with Bruce Hill.

For more information, or if you would like to volunteer to help decorate for this event, call The Fort Museum and Frontier Village at 515-573-4231. Events are also listed on their Facebook pages and website, www.fortmuseumfv.com.

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The Cratchetts from “A Christmas Carol’”and other Dickens characters welcome visitors to the vendor displays at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village’s Dickens Christmas in 2017. Bob Cratchett at right, played by Steve Farr; Mrs. Cratchett (Jodi Delaney); one of the Cratchett kids (Bailey Schuster); and Nancy from “Oliver Twist” (Jessica Einwalter).

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