The 19th annual Dickens Festival will have demonstrations, diversions, shows and spectacles. The Festival is an educational and entertaining experience - highlighting 19th century literature and social issues as written about by Charles Dickens. The Convention Center will be transformed into a London street scene, full of street characters and pageantry. Teas, plays, ballroom dancing, concerts, vendors, food, games, crafts, a period book store, lectures and stage entertainment will all be featured.

This year’s featured book is Charles Dickens’ novel A Christmas Carol, and the celebration of Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday will be highlighted.

Dickens Festival Opening Ceremonies

You won’t want to miss the opening of the Festival by Queen Victoria on Saturday morning as the Gordon Highlanders raise the British flag at the front of the convention center. Throughout the weekend you may be visited by old Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come along with Bob Cratchit, Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, and of course, Tiny Tim as you make your way through the London Marketplace, fashion show, Old Curiosity Shop, Oliver’s Alley, Ye Olde Book Shoppe, Hyde Park and more.

Mr. Fezziwig’s Ball

For the dancers, Mr. Fezziwig’s Ball will recreate a true Victorian Ball complete with orchestra and dance caller. Dancers will don their most beautiful and lavish period clothing and will be introduced upon their arrival by the Major Domo. During a break in the dancing, Queen Victoria will perform a ceremony investing new knights and dames into the Royal Order of Mount Rubidoux. If you are not a dancer, you can observe this spectacle from the sidelines.

2012 Dickens Festival Fashion Show

The theme this year will be “Famous and Infamous Victorians”. Each model will portray a personage of the period, real or literary, British or other nationality. There will be an extensive list of personalities to choose from; however, feel free to submit your own character if you wish.

Please contact Chairperson Nancy Smith at dragonsmith@verizon.net for further information. The deadline to be included in the fashion show is November 1, 2011.

Educational

by Susan Purkart, Education Committee Chair

The Dickens Festival Education Committee is planning an exciting program of events in 2011-2012. Here are some of them.

“Meet Mr. Dickens” shows, starring Paul Jacques: We plan to offer this popular show at six local middle schools. The show will also be performed at Festival 2012.

Paul Jacques as Mr. Dickens

High School Drama Contest This year’s contest will offer each participating high school the opportunity to dramatize and enact its own 20-minute scene based on A Christmas Carol. Rules for participation will be sent to all local high schools and posted on the Festival website.

Book Discussion Group Professor Cindy Bendshadler from Riverside Community College will lead the discussion of two Dickens Christmas books: A Christmas Carol, and The Chimes. Most readers are familiar with A Christmas Carol, but The Chimes is little known, even though Dickens thought it superior to A Christmas Carol. The Chimes tells the story of Toby Veck, a poor London ticket porter who experiences visions as he attempts to save his family from poverty and hopelessness. The book discussion will take place AFTER the Festival on four Saturdays (Jan. 14, 21, 28; Feb. 4) at the Riverside Downtown Library. Mark your calendar for these dates, and watch for more information.

Essay Contests Middle school students will write essays based on A Christmas Carol. High school students will read The Chimes, a very short work, and write an essay based on it. Rules for the two contests will be emailed to local schools, and will also posted on the Festival website.

That’s just the start. The Education Committee will also be searching for interesting lecturers to speak at the Festival and new and interesting educational environments. If you have suggestions, please contact Susan Purkart at spurkart@sbcglobal.net.

Hotel Rates January 6-8, 2012

A limited number of hotel rooms are available to Festival attendees at special rates* (subject to change without notice). In order to receive the group rate, guests should make inquiries and reservations early by contacting the hotel directly and identifying themselves as members of the Dickens Festival group. Guests are responsible for all costs incurred while staying at any of these establishments. The Dickens Festival assumes no responsibility for arrangements, accommodations, or costs.

Comfort Inn
$70.00* for single/double
1590 University Avenue
(less than 2 miles from the Riverside Convention Center)
Riverside, CA 92507
(951) 683-6000
Map

Marriott Riverside
$99.00* for single/double (online reservations)
3400 Market Street
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 784-8000
Map

The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa
Starting at $139.00* for single/double
3649 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 784-0300
Map

Prices quoted do not include local and state taxes.

Come Meet & Greet Dickens Festival Board Members and Characters at the Barnes and Noble at the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside. Our events are on the following Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and everyone is encouraged to come in costume.

Dates and Themes are listed below:

September 10

Dressing for Dickens – costuming tips

October 8

We’re having a Ball at the Dickens Festival

November 12

A visit with Mr. Dickens and Mr. Pickwick and RDF Book Fair fundraiser.

December 10

A visit with Queen Victoria

A Brief History of the
Riverside Dickens Festival

The Riverside Dickens Festival was established in 1992 when Carolyn Grant and Joan Patton convinced the Friends of the Riverside Library that the city needed a literary event. By sheer will and endless hours of hard work these two women and their committee made the first festival happen on a very warm weekend in September. Since then, the Riverside Dickens Festival has established its own board of directors, which raises funds and runs the event entirely with voluntary help. In 1994, the festival was moved to the first weekend in February to coincide with Charles Dickens’ birthday, February 7 (1812). The 2012 festival will be on January 7 and 8.

The festival has grown over the years in stature and significance to become a greatly anticipated family event. The major emphasis is on Charles Dickens and his writings, but Victorian era culture is also broadly embraced. A strong expansion of historical perspectives for the festival includes California and Riverside timelines paralleling Dickens’ life.

Riverside's Best Festival!

Recently dubbed Riverside’s “Best Festival,” the 19th annual Riverside Dickens Festival will convene in the Riverside Convention Center in just a few short months. Plans are underway to bring a wide range of educational and entertaining activities to our visitors who, by the way, come from all over southern California and as far away as Nevada and points far north of Riverside. This year’s festival will feature the beloved A Christmas Carol and will commemorate, along with many other organizations worldwide, the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth.

Kathy Wright, President
Riverside Dickens Festival

Gerald Dickens, great-great grandson of Charles Dickens will return to Riverside on December 19 to perform the heartwarming show-of-the-season and this year's Festival book, A Christmas Carol. Mr. Dickens, a professional actor hails from Oxford England, to perform his captivating rendition of this timeless holiday classic in which he depicts 26 characters of the tale, with just a table, wing chair, and hat rack accompanying him on stage.

Mark your calendar now and watch for more information about Mr. Dickens' appearance in Riverside, his only west coast appearance in 2011 open to the public!

More information at www.byerschoice.com

Join us for a traditional Queen’s Tea at the First Congregational Church on Saturday, January 7th and Sunday, January 8th.

The cost for tea with the Queen is $19.95. Guests will enjoy tea with Queen Victoria and be treated to a traditional hot and cold meal. Costumed servers will present steaming pots of tea, homemade scones, sandwiches, fruits and other delectables.

The host Mr. Treacle and his company of colorful entertainers will provide entertainment fit for a queen. Don’t be surprised if a Dickens character pops in!

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
For reservations and information, call (951) 213-6297

2011 -2012
Dance Classes

Robin Bancroft, Riverside Dickens Festival Dance Mistress, is again offering dance classes in preparation for Mr. Fezziwig’s Ball on Saturday, January 7, 2012.

Classes will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the All Saints Episcopal Church located at 3847 Terracina Drive in Riverside, and are $7 per person, per session.

Classes will be held:

October 12th, 19th and 26th
November 2nd, 9th, 16th and 30th
December 7th, 14th and 21st
January 4th
Mock Ball – TBA

For more information, please visit the Victorian Dance Classes page on our website.

Last year Oliver’s Alley moved to a real alley and the response was great. This year the Alley was once again on the move – indoors at the Riverside Convention Center and it was sensational. The move resulted in plenty of room and no worries about weather.

Since the weather was beautiful, the games area set up outside on the patio and featured marbles, tops, pick-up sticks, the game of Graces and a Fish-in-a-Barrel game. In addition, a huge, double Hopscotch layout was created by participants who found the standard layout to not offer enough of a challenge. They even enticed Mr. Pickwick to give it a try. Saturday afternoon the Youth Advisory Council from Supervisor Buster’s office provided costumed volunteers to help the children master the various games.

Tea Nanny Windy Hixson instructs the
tea attendees in proper Victorian manners

This was the third year for the children’s tea parties. While the partiers sipped tea (apple juice) and munched on sugar cookies, one of our Tea Nannies talked to them about the manners and mores of young children during Victorian times. When the Tea Nannies were talking it was evident from the nodding heads of many parents that the sayings – “Mind your P’s & Q’s”, or “Children are to be seen and not heard” were certainly reminders from their own childhood. As a remembrance of their tea party experience each child received a take-home Tea Scroll that contained a brief synopsis of the information provided by the Tea Nannies. Queen Victoria, Mr. Dickens and Mr. Pickwick stopped by to talk with the children.

The Dress-up/Photo area once again was a major success. Costumed volunteers helped the children select just the right ensemble for that unforgettable photo. As in past years we were fortunate to have Adonay Sanchez as our photographer. He has been with the Alley since it started.

Aloha Smith entertained with songs and stories of the era and demonstrated how to spin wool. She did this while the children participated in a “Dress a Dickens Character” craft. The Riverside Art Museum hosted a Tussie-Mussie craft next door.

Aviana Carero, Whitney Hartford, and Haleigh Von Daine,
volunteers from the Riverside County 1st District Youth
Advisory Council, assist with Fish-in-a-Barrel game

The Dickens Carolers and Mark Twain stopped by from time to time to entertain and Jeffrey the Juggler appeared each afternoon to thrill with his juggling skills and even gave lessons on how to get started as a juggler.

Oliver’s Alley was conceived to provide children with a fun and free Dickensian experience and is funded in part by a Community Arts Partnership grant from the Riverside Arts Council.

Aloha Smith explains the use of a drop spindle

Calling for Volunteers

The Dickens Festival organization is asked to participate in many events throughout the year. You may see our Committee members and volunteers strolling during the Festival of Lights, held from Thanksgiving to New Year's along the pedestrian mall in downtown Riverside; attending the Mayor's Ball for the Arts in September; this summer we will be accepting donations at the Citrus Park Concert on July 22nd and our illustrious Mr. Dickens and Mr. Pickwick appear at various functions throughout the year. Our characters and costumes offer interesting and beautiful ambiance to any event.
Volunteers are needed during the festival and throughout the year. We need volunteers to serve as:

• Greeters
• Ticket takers
• Information booth workers
• Fashion show assistants
• Security
• Signage
• Set up/take down
• Publicity
• Miscellaneous

To volunteer or to get more information, send an e-mail to info@dickensfest.com, or call the Riverside Dickens Festival office at (951) 781-3168 or Roberta Spieler at (951) 682-3881.

by Carolyn Grant

Riverside Dickens Festival
Board of Directors
2011 - 2012

President - Kathy Wright
President-elect - Janet Funderburk
Vice President - Bruce Spieler
Secretary - Cecile Johnson
Treasurer - Brenda Beers
Past President - Art Gage
Gerry Bowden
Shelby Craghead
Becky Foreman
Carolyn Grant
Deanne Irwin
Richard Reed
Debbie Walsh
Annmarie Weaver

Dickens Diary is published three times a year by the Riverside Dickens Festival, Inc., at the address below. Editorial submissions and queries may be sent there. We reserve the right to edit submissions.

Some photos are courtesy of John Anderson.
Editor - Marsha Loveridge
Coordinator - Cecile Johnson
Office: (800) 430-4140
or (951) 781-3168
Fax: (951) 781-6817
3585 Main Street, Suite 204
P. O. Box 113
Riverside, CA 92502-0113
Web version by Way To Go! Studios
This is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
organization, EIN:33-0617090

Thank you to the following supporters of our 2011 Festival!

City of Riverside • Riverside Arts Council - City Arts Grant and inlandarts.com
Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster • Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione
Carolyn Grant • Katherine Wright and Dwight Tate
Historic Mission Inn & Spa • Riverside Arts Council - CAP Grant
Provident Bank • Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce - Downtown Division
Jane & William Hays • Friends of the Riverside Library • Eileen Ashwal • Deborah & Donald Brithinee
Donna Knox • Carole & Ed Mauel • Doris Morton • Riverside Public Utilities • Annmarie Weaver
Kathy & John Allavie • Lamb Energy, Inc. • Stronghold Engineering, Inc. • Riverside Downtown Partnership
Marsha & Ron Loveridge • Chuck Beaty • C. Lee Enterprises • Citizens Business Bank • Janet & John Gless
Premier Service Bank • Riverside Metro Auto Group • Taylor’s Appliance • Janet Clark • Irmy Tilton
Gerry Bowden • Ruth & J.E. Brewer • Charles & Elaine Ford • Art Gage • GRAD • Richard & Eileen Hamel
Laura & John Klure • Susan Purkart • Barbara & Thomas Reul • Irene & Rodolfo Ruibal • Doris & Jerome Selmer
Dennis & Diane Tilton • Carol & Henry Tong • Jan & Al Wainscott • Barbara & Paul Wilson • Richard & Donna Wing
Dick Haynes • Joy Junkert • Anthony & Carolyn Kameen • Helen Luley • Dallas & Gloria Rabenstein • Hattie Byland
Jo Ann & Don Coble • Arlene Hamilton • Carol & James Hicks • Charles & Sarah Walker • Marthe Withrow
Barnes & Noble, Ltd. • Chris Beers • John & Brenda Beers • Tim Clark • Jim Duong • First Congregational Church
Ronda & Trudy Foland • Independent Quality Printing • Irwin Family • Riverside Art Museum
Roberta & Bruce Spieler • Shelby Craghead • Marilyn Drury-Katillo • Jane Eubanks • Rebecca Foreman
Janet & Henry Funderburk • Frank & Lucy Heyming • Cecile Johnson • Emily Palma • Richard Reed • Debbie Walsh

We Need Your Support for 2012
If your name isn't here, you still have a chance to support the 2012 Riverside Dickens Festival
by mailing your tax deductible check to:
The Riverside Dickens Festival, Inc, P.O. Box 113, Riverside, CA 92502-0113
The Riverside Dickens Festival, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, EIN:33-0617090

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