The 40th Annual Dickens of a Christmas is this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6, 7 and 8 in Wellsboro.
 
Friday and Saturday, the Tioga County Active Living Center’s Indoor Craft Show/Food with five craft vendors and the United Methodist Church’s Indoor Craft Show with 26 craft vendors will be open.

 
The Tioga County Active Living Center will also have lots of food Halushki with noodles and cabbage; soups; hot dogs, Texas hots and beverages both days. A homemade breakfast casserole will be available for purchase Saturday morning beginning at 8am.

 
Hamilton-Gibson Productions will present A Dickens of a Concert Friday night at 7:30pm and six performances of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” at the Deane Center’s two theaters on Saturday and one performance on Sunday.
 

Saturday, the business section of Wellsboro’s Main Street and two side streets will be closed to motorized vehicles and magically transformed into an outdoor Victorian marketplace with 126 vendors, including 92 artisans offering delightful wares for holiday gift giving or to keep and 34 food vendors with delectable fare to eat or to give as gifts. 
 
Promptly at 9am, the town crier will greet everyone with the ringing of his bell signifying the marketplace is officially open.
 
Registration for the Dickens Best Dressed Showcase contest is from 9am to 12pm Saturday in the Deane Center lobby. At 1pm, judges will select the Best Dressed for Dickens 2024. 
 
Everyone (in costume or not) is invited to participate in Saturday’s 10am and 2pm Victorian Strolls on Main Street.
 
Hamilton-Gibson’s Dickens Street Urchins and Dickens Players will be at the intersection of Crafton and Main streets to entertain people immediately following each stroll. Passersby are always encouraged to join in no matter what is being performed. Guests and locals will be greeted with warmth, music and good cheer.
 
Local churches are offering a variety of indoor events on Saturday. Among them are a model train show, a cookie sale, lunch, thrift shop, tours and a Choral Evensong Service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; two Christmas sing-a-longs at the First Baptist Church; and in the spirit of helping others, an Alternative Giving Christmas Fair with refreshments and music at the First Presbyterian Church.
 
The Wellsboro Fire Department is holding its Indoor/Outdoor Dickens Craft Show at the Wellsboro Firemen’s Annex at 21 East Avenue on Saturday only from 9am to 4pm with 18 vendors inside and 32 outside.
 
From 9am to 5pm, the West End Artisan Shop at 152 Main Street in Wellsboro is hosting a Dickens Craft Fair with 11 vendors on-site and serving as headquarters for the first ever Dickens Scavenger Hunt involving 14 participating locations in town. Also available at the Dickens Craft Fair will be products by 12 other local artisans represented by the shop. 
 
At the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center will be three Dickens artisans and new exhibits in the Atrium and Main galleries beginning at 10am Saturday. 
 
Saturday night at 5pm the Candlelight Walk for Peace will begin at Packer Park on Queen Street and at 5:30pm the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on The Green with 2024 Pennsylvania State Laurel Queen Liliana Kilgore, of Lititz, PA, Santa Claus and a carol sing.
 
“It all adds up to a lot of good fun,” said Julie Henry, Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. “Seeing people enjoying themselves is really refreshing and in keeping with the holiday spirit. Having a good time is what our festival is all about.” 
 
For more information or the schedule of events, contact the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce by calling 570-724-1926, emailinginfo@wellsboropa.com or visiting http://www.wellsboropa.com.