Gift-Wrapped Memories at the Victorian Festival of Christmas - Celebrating 10 Merry Years

Oct. 28, 2009 - PRLog -- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard brings history and its sumptuous setting closer to life this Christmas, when it steps back in time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the hugely popular Victorian Festival of Christmas. Delightful dreams of Christmases past can now become an extra special Christmas present!

The Victorian Festival of Christmas, supported by Wave 105, is a three day event, taking place on Friday 27th to Sunday 29th November. Visitors will be magically transported into a Dickensian-style bygone era of snowy white streets with a festive fairground and seasonal carols. The popular undercover Christmas Market offers a truly unique shopping experience with over 150 stalls offering gift ideas and seasonal fare. Hearty food and drink is high up on the menu with much-loved roasted chestnuts and mulled wine and a splendid continental market. A variety of entertainment can be found throughout the dockyard with parlour games, Punch & Judy, bawdy Music Hall, a nativity farm and a traditional ‘green’ Santa, who ensures this hugely popular event is fun for all the family!

Visitors will be met by a host of colourful characters including the familiar faces of Queen Victoria, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Sherlock Holmes and Sweeney Todd. Keeping order amongst the Victorian vagabonds is the Fort Cumberland Guard who will demonstrate their musket firing on the Warrior Jetty.

The organisers would also like to advise revellers to be wary of pickpockets… Fagin, Oliver and his gang are out in force in the tavern to celebrate 100 years of being in film, along with plenty of others who will bring back the enjoyment of singing and dancing in public. For those Christmas traditionalists there are plenty of opportunities throughout the day for carols with the band.

Children are invited to take their place alongside some cheeky urchins in the school room in the Royal Naval Museum, to ensure they are on best behaviour for Mr Bumbury. The strict schoolmaster will determine who’s naughty and nice for a visit to Father Christmas in his grotto onboard HMS Warrior 1860, where all the good boys and girls will receive a traditional Christmas treat!

For those who would rather spectate than participate, there are traditional theatrical stories being told in the Mary Rose Museum and the cinema in Action Stations has been transformed into Theatre Victoriana. ‘The Adventurous Victorians’ will take the audience back time; a short version of ‘Peter Pan’ will delight all ages and a special performance of ‘Oliver’ will be a dazzling Dickens of a dance.

Gifts are a-plenty when the grand buildings of the Historic Dockyard are transformed into a glorious bazaar of arts, crafts, food, drink and gifts, a Continental Market and Georgian Colonnades – making the Festival of Christmas the largest Christmas market on the South Coast!

If that all sounds too much then visitors can scale it down and visit the miniature model Victorian market or Doc Dean’s Flea Circus, featuring the ‘Greatest Little Show on Earth’ including strongman flea Hercufleas and little Freddy on the high dive, all at the Royal Naval Museum.

The day draws to a close with a twilight parade through the Historic Dockyard of all the festival characters, led by Queen Victoria in a beautiful horse-drawn carriage, and set against the backdrop of the ships in their illuminated glory.

What’s more, this year visitors can gift-wrap their memories of the festival by having their photograph taken in Victorian costume, at Action Stations!

Ticket prices include entry to all the festive entertainment and entry to the attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Museum, HMS Warrior 1860, the Royal Naval Museum and Action Stations. (Harbour Tours not included). Tickets: Adults: £12.50, Seniors: £10.50, Children (5-15 years): £10.50, under 5s free, Family (up to 5 people, max 2 adults/seniors): £37.50.

Opening Times are 10am-6pm, last admission times to the attractions vary.

Further information and ticket booking can be found on the website www.christmasfestival.co.uk

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Visitor attraction with fascinating artefacts, lots of interaction, and historic ships that helped shape British history. With six landmark attractions (inc HMS Victory, HMS Warrior 1860 and the Mary Rose Collection), there is something for everyone.