Every holiday season, Nevada City takes a trip to the past to create a festive Victorian Christmas straight out of a storybook. The celebration features a market filled with local vendors, carolers, authentic gas lamps, and even free roasted chestnuts for an afternoon snack. In the spirit of the nostalgic event, attendees often dress up in Victorian-era clothes, and organizers highly encourage festive costumes to make you feel like you’re entering a Dickens tale.
The family-friendly event has been a beloved tradition since 1978, happening a total of 5 times a year in December. The first Christmas celebration of the year is this Sunday, December 8th, with the following dates: December 11, 15, 18, and 22.
You can expect the streets to be filled with over 100 artisan vendors, Santa pictures for kids, and a display of Dickens Village town models in the Chamber of Commerce. A nostalgic Father Christmas will wander around on Sundays, along with special performances and activities. Plus, the town will be decked out in its best holiday finery, complete with a 25-foot tree, 500 feet of garland, gas lamps, lights, and plenty of bows. To keep you warm, booths offering hot buttered rum, apple cider, hot chocolate, and mulled wine are located on Broad St.
The event has dozens of performances scheduled, including choirs, dancers, string quartets, and more. You can check out the full schedule for each day on the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce website. The event is family-friendly, with balloon animals, toy stores, magic shows, and Santa visits.
Nevada City is roughly a 3-hour drive from San Francisco, depending on traffic. The historic town is also home to one of the state’s oldest hotels, which was built during the Gold Rush. The historic hotel also embraces the holiday spirit, with “Victorian Tea” Christmas dinner in the swanky restaurant and festive music.