Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1511496
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM November 15-21 UCW 13 SAM OLSEN, Assistant Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. (910) 484-6200 together each year in our city, we are celebrating with communities, people and groups from corners of the world we've never seen. Parfitt went on to talk about the attraction of the sense of community born from A Dick- ens Holiday that becomes shared with those who may only visit our city on the holidays to visit friends or relatives. Parfitt noted that, because A Dickens Holiday is such a com- munity driven event, the experi- ence garnered here is completely unique and special to our city. Truly, A Dickens Holiday is the after-anksgiving-meal-Christ- mas-dessert we should all be looking forward to. However, now comes the hard- est part about anksgiving din- ners these days: putting down our phones. With the growing concern for degrading communication skills in Generation Z and A, the ques- tion remains of how to address growing issues in these younger generations such as social anxi- ety, lack of sense of community, and lack of self worth. Dickens Holiday, being a com- pletely community driven event, aims to address these matters with the very core of its philoso- phy. When asked about the advice he wanted to give to the youth in town who may be struggling with these issues, Parfitt had this to say. "Best way to not be afraid is to get outside of yourself. Talk to someone who you may not know that well. Talk about some of the things you do have in common. You don't have to talk to someone long to find out you have a lot more in common than that which would set you apart." Parfitt continued, "A lot of us have forgotten how to talk to other people. It's a skill, and, if you don't practice, you won't be any good at it! Don't be afraid to get outside of yourself, talk to other people, find out that you do have a lot in common, and then you'll find you can share these experiences." is year's A Dickens Holiday looks to have no shortage of entertainment either. Parffit also mentioned plans for many of the upcoming attractions, shows and enjoyment to be had during the event. Local llamas looking festive, musical performers, Nutcracker ballet performances from local children and a costume walk are all things to look forward to. ere will even be members of the Downtown Alliance dressed up as characters from the novel. With everything U&CW has been told is in store, we can't wait to come out and celebrate the meaning of Christmas with all those attending. For those inclined, the registra- tion for new performances, vol- unteers, craft vendors and food vendors is still open. If you are interested in applying for any of these options, or would like to know more, you can find more information on their web- site at https://www.faydta.com/ adickensholiday/, or by email at shopdowntownfaync@gmail.com. Above: Cross Creek Pipe & Drum perform during A Dickens Holiday 2022 at the Fayetteville History Museum, Nov. 25, 2022. Below: A caroler poses with a flower girl during A Dickens Holiday 2022.