Up & Coming Weekly

NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 1, 2009 UCW 9 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM KAREN POPPELE, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 106 or Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. Enter for your chance to Enter for your chance to WIN tickets WIN tickets Enter for your chance to WIN tickets Name______________________________________ Phone Number___________________________________ Email_______________________________________ Please send completed entry form to Up & Coming Weekly, 208 Rowan St., Fayetteville, NC 28301 or fax to 910.484.9218. sponsor of this event, and they want to keep doing this." Greg West of H&H Homes explained that the competition came about quickly. "We thought it would be cute and fun, something that is a natural fi t with a homebuilding company," said West, "and it supports the community." While the competitors must meet certain stipulations with respect to materials used –– all decorations must be edible –– and size of the gingerbread houses, the design rules are fairly relaxed. "The houses have to have a North Carolina theme. So it could be a beach house, it could be a part of the Biltmore House, or it could be a country church somewhere," Parfi tt said. The entrants in this year's competition at publication time are Huske Hardware House Restaurant & Brewery, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Fayetteville Technical Community College's Future Culinarians of America and Sandhills Community College's Baking & Pastry Arts Club. An independent panel of board-certifi ed chefs will judge the architectural confections from 6-7 p.m., and the visitors of A Dickens Holiday will be able to vote with $1 contributions for the People's Choice award to help raise money for the event. "As you walk by, you put a dollar bill in the ballot box of the one that's your favorite, so that's going to be a lot of fun," said Parfi tt. "They will be decorating live, and you can walk in the Rainbow Room and walk by their tables and see how they're doing and encourage them. We hope to have a live deejay narrating the event as we go. We'll actually announce the winners at 7 or 7:30, but people can still go by and see the two-foot trophy and vote for People's Choice until about 8:45. We think that this could become really, really big, and it will be loads of fun." At 5 p.m., visitors will gather at the Arts Council Building at Hay and Maxwell Streets for the Candlelight Procession along Hay Street to the Market Square. Six London Bobbies, complete with authentic uniforms and metropolitan police whistles, will stroll the street in pairs to help clear the street and move people to the safety of the sidewalks and side streets so that Queen Victoria, horses, carriages and participants may safely pass. Anyone who wishes to join the procession should gather by the Arts Council Building and follow, rather than join from the sides. "It's probably the most spectacular part of the whole day, and people can pick up free candles at the Arts Council Building and from various merchants in Downtown Fayetteville," said Kinney. "We're inviting people to enjoy the food at the 21st Century Food Court, which is on the 300 block next to the Arts Council and away from where the procession will go. They'll be in a good position to see folks who are gathering for the procession. We plan to start the procession at about 5:30 p.m." "Doug Elwell is going to be on the bagpipes, leading the procession, followed by the Cape Fear Scottish Clan, followed by Queen Victoria in a white carriage accompanied by the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry (FILI)," said Parfi tt. "Riding with Queen Victoria will be Charles Dickens. They will process the three blocks to the Market House along with everyone with candlelight. Charles Dickens and Tiny Tim will entertain the crowd, and there'll be singing and bells ringing, the tree lighting and the Grand Illumination," Kinney said. Kinney and Parfi tt stress that after the procession, people won't want to leave. "The crowd and the events are shifting and moving in terms of location, but the day is not ending," said Kinney. "The party will move down to The Metropolitan Room for the costume contest and fi reside chat." Visitors are encouraged to stroll about the other activities continuing in the Downtown area until the fi reworks display at 8:30 p.m. that will signal the offi cial ending of the holiday, a change in the schedule from previous holidays. "They really should stick around for the beautiful fi reworks," Kinney said. Indeed, one won't want to miss any of A Dickens Holiday and the chance to sample the customs and delights of a time gone by. "We want A Dickens Holiday that feels authentic, making you feel like you've really stepped back in time. Whether it's smelling the hot cider and gingerbread or having an encounter with Scrooge himself, to the London Bobbies, you really can take a trip to a different time and place right here in Downtown Fayetteville," Kinney said. Parfi tt agrees wholeheartedly. "You can come downtown and travel in time back to the past and enjoy all these wonderful sights and sounds, enjoy the carriage rides, do a little shopping so that you won't be too far behind and enjoy some of the real unique shops we have down here." "A Dickens Holiday is a great opportunity for people who have out-of-town guests to have a place to go and something to do that is heartwarming and a lot of fun for the family to create memories," said Kinney. For more information and a complete schedule of activities and events at A Dickens Holiday, visit the Arts Council's Web site at ww.theartscouncil.com/ Dickens_Holiday.html.

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