Downtown Galveston turns back the clock with 'Dickens on the Strand'

Even though the annual festival of Dickens on the Strand was canceled last year, it is back with an improved version, and yes, the Scotch eggs will be there.

“That’s a crowd-pleaser, very much so,” said Dwayne Jones, executive director of Galveston Historical Foundation, which produces the festival. “If you haven’t had a Scotch egg, you should have one.”

For the past 48 years, the Galveston Historical Foundation has highlighted the area’s Victorian-era architecture through this festival, along with providing the people with a one-of-a-kind experience of Charles Dickens’ work.

“The 2021 Dickens on The Strand promises to be a remarkable return to our full annual holiday festival. Our board, staff and volunteers are ready to make Galveston come alive again in the holiday season as we recognize the wonderful work of Charles Dicken’s 'A Christmas Carol,'” Jones said. “Many friendly faces, entertainers and vendors will return to Galveston in December as a reawakening of an inspirational event unfolds.”

The pandemic had forced the organizers to cancel the event at the umptieth hour last year.

“I feel like in some odd ways, skipping a year has allowed us to rethink some of the infrastructure of the event: Fencing, how we get people in and out, and all that kind of stuff,” Jones said. “I think it’s actually going to help the event this year, because we’ve had some extra time to think about it.”

Dickens on The Strand will celebrate its 48th year of bringing 19th-century Victorian London to Galveston. The event is celebrated the first weekend of December and has become an island Christmastime staple.

After a COVID-19 related hiatus, the event returns with a few new tweaks.

The Dickens Dash will be a new addition this year whereby you can enter the grounds before it's open to the public, and you can join a half-mile loop through a downtown historic district in a costumed fun-run.