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: https://www.epageflip.net/i/213660
A Dickens Holiday: Embrace the Spirit of Christmas Past by STEPHANIE CRIDER If anything, Fayetteville is a city that year," said Kinney. "Although gingerbread is a traditional medium, the theme respects tradition; and the holiday season is for this competition is structures from the original colonies, which should be packed with unique local traditions that make interesting." November and December a blur of fun-filled The competition starts at 1 p.m. and the public is invited to stop by and vote activities. One of the biggest traditions that for their favorite gingerbread structure. makes Thanksgiving Day weekend extra Carson Phipps is the Coordinator in the Career and Technical Education special is A Dickens Holiday. Every year, Department at the Cumberland County Schools system and he gets to help the more than 10,000 people come to downtown students plan and execute this sweet operation. Fayetteville to experience the charm that "We've got seven schools competing in the Gingerbread Competition. This year, comes with the Victorian era Christmas one team is going to do a house that is different than the rest," said Phipps. "They celebration. The event takes place the day are actually doing an H&H designed home. We have never done this before, but after Thanksgiving and is hosted by the Arts H&H is a sponsor so one of their homes will be featured in the contest." Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and Father Christmas visits A Dickens Holiday each The rest of the contestants will be making houses that look like the capitol the Downtown Alliance. buildings of the original 13 American colonies. "We thought this would work year and is available for pictures. "People look forward to A Dickens Holiday Story and cover photo credit: Wick Smith because the colonies were founded around the time that Charles Dickens was and all that it offers each year," said Marketing alive," said Phipps. "By doing the colonial buildings we could tie in to the time Director at Arts Council of Fayetteville/ period but make the competition Cumberland County Mary Kinney. "That is why we make sure that Father uniquely American. We had about 3,000 Christmas is available for photographs each year and why the Downtown Alliance people come through last year and they offers carriage rides each year. There are so many elements that the community all seemed to enjoy it." looks forward to and we don't want to stray too far from what people have come The official judging takes place at 7 to love about this tradition." p.m., but the People's Choice Award will Come as you are, or dig through the closet and come in character. So many not be announced until 8:30 p.m. The people enjoy the event that many choose to come in costume. "It's easy to find winners get $500 for their school. things in our closets to put together a Victorian era look that can be a lot of fun," The second floor of the Market said Kinney. House will feature a display sponsored Find out more about fun, easy by the Fayetteville Area Transportation ways to dress for the occasion at & Local History Museum called This www.theartscouncil.com/A%20 Victorian Life. The exhibit takes a look Dickens%20Holiday/How%20to%20 at how Victorians celebrated Christmas Dress_2011_LS.pdf and includes items like coins, ceramic plates and other commemorative pieces from "We want people to feel Queen Victoria's reign. comfortable and enjoy themselves no The Arts Council exhibit, Winter: An Invitational, features the works of matter what they are wearing," said professional photographers and shares their unique perspectives on winter. "This Kinney. show is not just about classic winter photographs," said Kinney. "It includes The shops, restaurants and galleries pictures that offer fresh and different interpretations of what winter means to the are open for business and there will different artists — like a man bundled up for the cold, but he is sitting in a beach be vendors as well. Items like top hats, chair looking at the ocean." scarves, Christmas wreaths and decorations are typically available for sale. Actors While the festivities are sure to put even the staunchest of scrooges into the portraying characters from A Christmas Carol will roam the streets acting out portions Christmas spirit, the real magic happens after the sun goes down. Late in the of this traditional Christmas tale. afternoon, stop by local merchants or the Arts Council and pick up a candle for the "This event is definitely for the community, but in many ways it is the community," procession from the Arts Council to the Market House. People start to gather at the said Kinney. "Even the actors who portray characters from A Christmas Carol on the Arts Council around 5 or 5:30 p.m. For many, this is the highlight of the day, as the street are members of the community. In fact, the actor who plays Scrooge has been crowd moves slowly to the market house. Once at the Market House, the crowd is doing this for several years." treated to a fireworks display. "Some people think that this is the end of A Dickens A Dickens Holiday starts at 1 p.m. The streets are filled with actors dressed in Holiday, but far from it," said Kinney. "The carriage rides run well Victorian era garb. There are carolers, characters from A Christmas Carol, vendors, into the evening, Father Christmas is still available for pictures until carriage rides and more. Sip hot cider and stroll the streets of downtown Fayetteville 8:30 p.m. and most of the local STEPHANIE CRIDER, EDITOR. enjoying the shops, restaurants and galleries. businesses remain open until 9 p.m." COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomDon't miss the gingerbread contest at SkyView on Hay, which is located at Find out more about A Dickens ingweekly.com. 121 Hay St. "We are excited to host local high school culinary students again this Holiday at www.theartscouncil.com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NOVEMBER 20-26, 2013 UCW 13