Outside the Fest
Ring in the season with a handbell concert inside 1859 St. Joseph’s Church, a beautiful whitewashed German Catholic church made of wood. The acoustics are exceptional, according to the church itself, and three performances take place on Friday night for those with advance tickets.
The Dickens Soiree, held at the breathtaking 1892 Bishop Palace — built with the intention of being the most elaborate house in Texas at the time — offers a “curated food and drink menu” with live music, acrobats, and other performances Friday evening. Advance tickets are necessary.
Mysterious until the end, or at least about one week before the fete for guests with reserved tickets, Dickens After Dark takes place on Friday and Saturday at a secret location on The Strand. Promising drinks and performances, this might be the way to go for a surprise if that’s your cup of tea. Enjoy breakfast in the first mansion built on Galveston Island by joining The Dickensian Breakfast at 1859 Ashton Villa on Saturday or Sunday. The mansion is otherwise closed to visitors (The Galveston Island Visitors Center is in a rear house), so this breakfast offers a unique chance to view the restored splendor.
Tea with the Captain’s wife on 1877 Tall Ship Elissa is a stop for tea and biscuits on Galveston’s Historic Seaport. You’ll be regaled with historical stories, likely from when Galveston was one of the leading ship ports and boomtowns in the south, and you’ll watch the crew at work.
What’s a Dickens Festival without the author’s most popular work, A Christmas Carol? Enjoy performances on Friday and Saturday at the historic, beautifully detailed 1894 Opera House. If a curated walking tour suits your fancy, St. Arnold’s guided group tour around The Strand includes three complimentary craft beers.
Visit GalvestonHistory.org/events/dickens-on-the-strand for more information, admission tickets, and tickets to
special events.
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