Lostwithiel Dickensian Evening

About

On a cold, dark Thursday evening in mid December, Lostwithiel lights up with its Dickensian Evening. The ever popular festive event has been running for over 10 years. The streets are filled with crowds who come to enjoy the old fashioned traditional Christmas experience.

The evening kicks off with a lantern parade led by the Lostwithiel Town Band, which processes up and down Fore Street. Lanterns are made by groups in Lostwithiel including the Young Farmers, Brownies, Scouts and Guides.

Shops in the centre of town are open late and shopkeepers dress up in Victorian garb. In fact lots of people get in the spirit and you'll see stallholders, performers and townspeople kitted out in old fashioned costumes.

Choirs, bands, musicians and buskers perform throughout the evening in the street and in venues around town, singing carols and festive tunes.

Craft and gift stalls can be found in the Church Rooms and Drill Hall.

For children there's an old fashioned merry-go-round fairground ride, a traditional Santa's grotto (with Santa in green robes rather than red!) and storytelling sessions.

There's plenty of refreshments with restaurants and cafes open all night and hot food from street vendors. Of course there's lashings of mulled wine or mulled cider available too.

While you're in town, you can take in the festive scenes in the annual Advent Window Trail and the illuminated Christmas trees above shops and houses.

The museum is open to the public, you can visit St Bartholomew's Church and listen to performances there and you can take a look in the historic Duchy Palace.

Once the festivities finish up around 9pm, the evening continues with live music and entertainment in local pubs and clubs.