Without ‘A Christmas Carol’, there’s every chance Birmingham wouldn’t explode into a festive extravaganza of colour and light for two months, Mariah Carey wouldn’t be playing from every street corner, and the sale of mince pies wouldn’t shoot through the roof. Charles Dickens has a lot to answer for.
But while arguably responsible for popularising Christmas as we know it, alongside Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert—who introduced German traditions like Christmas tree decorating, gift-giving, and eating turkeys—the Victorian era was still quite different from our modern times, as this Christmas Fayre proves.
What is the Victorian Christmas Fayre?
The Victorian Fayre is your chance to see what Christmas might have looked like 150 years ago. Started by local traders in 1992, it now boasts 200 stalls across Worcester’s city centre, selling arts and crafts, street food and gifts, as well as a host of Victorian-themed characters and entertainment—from stilt walkers to musicians and magicians.
Tuck into warm roasted chestnuts at the street market, climb aboard the Galloper at the fun fair, and meet the debauched inhabitants of the Victorian alleyway, Gin Lane—where the Clik Clik Collective brings the magic old music-halls back to life, just keep an eye out for pickpockets!
Elsewhere, head to the historic Friar Street for live music outside Worcester’s oldest pub each day, The Cardinal’s Hat; the team will also be hosting a pop-up Friar Street beer festival and gin palace at Tudor House throughout the Fayre, too; and you may bump into anyone from Scrooge to Sherlock Holmes as you wander about.
Christmas Fayre kicks off with an opening ceremony outside Worcester Cathedral on Thursday, December 4 (from 16:30 to 17:45). It’s not hanging around for long, however, as the final day of this one-of-a-kind Christmas market is on Sunday, December 7. Giving you just four days of Dickensian fun in the West Midlands.
How do I get there from Birmingham?
You can drive from Birmingham directly to Worcester via the M5, and it is less than an hour’s journey. But to save yourself looking for parking, we suggest hopping on a train, as it also just takes less than an hour from Birmingham New Street to Worcester Foregate Street
Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre is on from December 4 to 7, head here to learn more.