Downtown Franklin, Dickens of a Christmas

Each year, Main Street recalls the spirit of Christmases past when the Heritage Foundation throws its annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration! This year the event marks its 31st anniversary, and will feature both time-honored activities that have become perennial favorites, as well as a few new traditions in the making.

Franklin’s Main Street–and its beautiful Victorian architecture–will be decked out for the holiday season. Some 200 characters, dancers and entertainers in the street, including several from Charles Dickens’s stories interacting with the public. Expect to see the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit with his parents from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children.

What to Expect

• Sugar plums and roasted chestnuts being sold on the street, much like they were during the Victorian era.
• Street vendors selling old English fare, including bangers and mash (grilled sausages & mashed potatoes); Somerset Sausage Rolls (sausage-filled pastries); shepherd’s pies; fish ‘n chips; and Yorkshire “toasties” (spicy sausage, hamburger and cheese mixture on rye bread).
• A variety of musical performances
• Horse-drawn carriage rides on the Public Square.
• A holiday arts and crafts bazaar.
• A town sing of classic Christmas carols on the Public Square.
• A costume contest, and so much more!

Visit website to learn more!

Producing Dickens of a Christmas is just one of the many activities of The Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County. Since 1967 the non-profit group has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Williamson County’s historic, architectural and geographic resources; in short, saving the places that matter.