Victorian Mavens to Gather for Riverside Dickens Fest

Fire up that time machine and make for this weekend-long literary lark, a party with a strong costuming spirit.

YOU MAY LOVE BOOKS, and you may find yourself tangled up in thrilling tales, and you may experience emotions alongside the characters you understand the most, and you may prefer to stay near the sofa when you're deep inside a great story, but let's be real: Dressing in the manner of a ye olde time is also super-amazing, too. However? Finding a literary-fun event that also embraces its costuming side isn't always the easiest, even here in book-mad, dressy dress-up California. There is, however, one long-runner of a lit lark, in Riverside, that puts both the spotlight on timeless stories and those participants that have donned a pair of natty spats or an impressively large lace collar. It's the...

RIVERSIDE DICKENS FESTIVAL, which will be "(c)elebrating the life and works of author Charles Dickens and his impact on society" on Saturday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 24. The events to do just that are plentiful, colorful, and full of pomp and pleasure, so consider calling upon a few, if you attend. Pickwick's Pub Night is the perfect place to raise a glass, while Fezziwig's Grand Victorian Ball at the Fox Theater will see loads of fancy gowns and such. There are classes, too, if you want to brush up on your ye olde dancing techniques, so sign up for Fezziwig's Ball Dance Classes if cutting a rug isn't our strong suit (or, if it is and you just want to brush up).

OVER 30 VENDORS... will be there, to meat pie-up your world, or give your sartorial spirit some way-back dash, so plan on some shopping, too. There's loads to do, and Riverside is the perfectly elegant place to do it, thanks to some stunning historic structures. Are you a devotee of Mr. Dickens? An Ebenezer aficionado? Love to walk the Victorian path, style-wise, but find few places to do so? Start here, dear time-travelers of the Golden State.

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