ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Charles Dickens, author of “A Christmas Carol,” will become Asheville’s very own Ghost of Christmas Present at the “Dickens Christmas in the Village” event this weekend.
“Dickens Christmas in the Village” is part of the monthlong “It’s a Wonderful Village!” program of events in Biltmore Village. The Dickens-themed festival will take place this weekend, Dec. 6-7, all over the historic city district.
“A Christmas Carol”-ing
According to Kara Irani, director of public relations for the Historic Biltmore Village Association, Biltmore Village has hosted the Dickens Festival for over 30 years as a nod to its own historicity. A celebration of the Victorian author felt like an appropriate match for the old Biltmore Village buildings.
“The Dickens Festival really is kind of hearkening back to the era of when Biltmore Village was first built and envisioned,” Irani explained. “That’s really the connection thread for us.”
During the two day event, guests can enjoy hot beverages, live music and interactions with roving street performers between Brook Street and All Souls Crescent.
“That would be carolers who are doing old Christmas carols that were from the era of Dickens,” Irani said. “String players, flautists, brass, anything that kind of brings that holiday season together, and we will have people in costume wandering the streets, and the shops and businesses and things like that to really help give the festival more of a feel of that historic air.”
On Saturday, roaming entertainers will include:
- Ashgrove Garland & Asheville Morris dance troupes
- Montford Moppets Carolers
- Rapscallions
- Badda Bing, Badda Boom!
- Burnside & Trismen
- Fan & Belle
- Quicksilver Flute Choir
- Shalene – string musician and singer
- Biltmore Brass Ensemble
On Sunday, roaming entertainers will include:
- Montford Moppets Carolers
- Land O’ Sky Chorus
- Juan’s Holiday Balloons
- Steve Sarant – flutist
- Village Brass
- Men In Harmony
- Simple Folk Quartet
- WNC Brass Ensemble
- Carolina Day School Carolers
- Hillside Ramblers
Guests may also come across stationary performers like Sandy Herrault, a violinist who will be performing from 3-5 p.m., Dec. 6 at Village Artist Market.
While Scrooge won’t be giving away turkeys at the festival, Silly Willies Hotdogs will have hot bratwurst at their food truck from noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 7.
No Christmas festival would be complete without a visit from the big man himself. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will appear from noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 7 at New Morning Gallery for photos and Christmas wishes.
The spirit of Christmas Yet to Come
While there will be entertainers in costume at the event, specific characters from “A Christmas Carol” may not make an appearance. However, you can count on seeing them at Dickens Festival one Christmas Future, Irani promised.
“We didn’t know whether we were going to be able to do Dickens this year,” Irani said. “We were so grateful to be able to get some funds to actually put this on this year, and so we kind of had to just do what we could with the time that we had. But in the future, we have some really big plans. Things like a Scrooge contest, you know, all of the players from the ‘Christmas Carol’ that has made that era so iconic for the holiday season.”
For more information about Dickens Festival, visit www.historicbiltmorevillage.com/events/its-a-wonderful-village-2025.
