Dickens of a Christmas to Return to Downtown Franklin this Weekend
The holiday tradition hosted by The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County will return this Saturday and Sunday with live entertainment, local vendors, and storytelling; this year’s event will be presented by Wilson Bank & Trust. Image credit: Kris Rae Photography
FRANKLIN, TN – The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County will celebrate A Holiday Tradition: Dickens of a Christmas on Saturday, December 13, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 14, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The weekend of holiday cheer recreates the time of Charles Dickens and takes place in the charming Downtown Franklin. The event is presented in partnership with Wilson Bank & Trust.
“Dickens of a Christmas marks the beginning of the holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming guests and neighbors back to Downtown Franklin” said Bari Beasley, President, and CEO of the Heritage Foundation. “It’s a timeless tradition, spanning 40 years, and we are thankful to the Downtown partners who help make the event so special each year.”
A variety of Dickens characters will fill the streets of Downtown Franklin including the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit family from A Christmas Carol; and Victorian Father and Mother Christmas. Throughout the weekend there will be live musical and dance performances, shopping, and more including:
- Arts & Crafts Vendors
- Food & Beverage Vendors
- Main Stage Entertainment presented by Nissan
- Victorian Village with Holiday Dancers, Characters and Carolers
- Acoustic Stage presented by Hiller
- StoryTimes presented by Atmos Energy & H.G. Hill Realty
- Whiskey Lounge by Leipers Fork Distillery
- Beer Garden by Bavarian Bierhaus
- FREE Public Wifi presented by United Communications
In addition to the stages, stores, and shopping, activations will be taking place throughout Downtown Franklin all weekend long. Stop by the Main Downtown Square for photos with Santa. St. Nick is expected to greet guests from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. To finish off the day, join the community for a joyous Town Sing. Saturday’s Sing begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Square’s Main Stage, and Sunday’s Sing starts at 4:15 p.m. at Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church. A festival map and full stage schedule can be found here: https://williamsonheritage.
Parking will be limited in Downtown Franklin. Franklin Transit will offer shuttle services to and from the festival starting at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning at
For more information on this year’s event, please visit The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s website:https://williamsonheritage.
ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Thanks to its visionary stewardship and the support of donors throughout the community, notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield and the Old, Old Jail. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, PumpkinFest and Dickens of a Christmas bring an estimated 300,000+ locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year that creates more than a $10 million economic impact annually. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and its newest historic adaptive reuse project: The History & Culture Center of Williamson County. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County continues to fundraise for the full construction and completion of Franklin Grove, which will be one of the premiere landmark destinations that creates a sense of place, timelessness and beauty for all people to engage with education, art, history, nature and community.
In addition, it relies on support from the community to put on its popular free festivals such as Pumpkin Fest, Main Street Festival, and Dickens of a Christmas, as well as to drive vital preservation initiatives and education opportunities. For more information on donating, visit: https://williamsonheritage.
