Dickens Festival 2013, a Christmas shopper’s delight; STGnews Photo Gallery

Written by Drew Allred
December 5, 2013
Vendors at the Dickens’ Christmas Festival 2013, Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Dec. 4, 2013 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — When her mother started the Dickens Festival 30 years ago in Salt Lake City, exhibit director Melissa Dalley had no idea it would flourish into what it is today. Now she and her sister, festival director Brittany Dell, manage the Christmas festival which includes 231 vendors, an extensive list of musical and theatrical groups performing for four solid days on two stages, not to mention the numerous other holiday delights.

The festival now has two locations, one at the Dixie Convention Center in St. George which will be running every day until Saturday night this week, and another location that begins next week in Salt Lake City at the South Towne Expo Center. The festival donates lots of money to toys for tots and coins for kids, Dalley said. Her mother is now retired but their families tradition of running the yearly festival still continues.

Although this festival is a total holiday extravaganza, it is primarily a unique Christmas shopping experience. The over 230 vendors were targeted specifically to bring handcrafted, unique products to St. George. The vendors sale everything from handcrafted cinnamon buns in the food court, to homemade soaps, and handcrafted dolls. Other vendors carry handmade clothing, local honey, handcrafted jewelry, fresh bakers bread, and even kid sized rocking horses on wheels to name a few.

“We wanted to create a non-traditional shopping experience,” Dalley said, “with more handcrafted…neat stuff that you can’t find in the mall or at Wal-mart.”

This festival has such a variety of goods, it’s unimaginable that you could leave without knocking out most of the items on your family Christmas list.

Useful tips:

  • Bring cash. Many of the vendors only accept cash. There is also an ATM in the food court for those who forget cash.
  • Buy tickets online here.  $1 off for adults.
  • Show up before dark. Get great pictures of the live reindeer out front of the convention center

Event recap

  • When: Dec. 4-7 | 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Where: Dixie Convention Center | 1835 S Convention Center Dr, St. George
  • Cost: $6 for adults, $4 for seniors 65+ and children ages 4-12, Free for children 3 and under. Admission includes entertainment and plays.
  • Entertainment Schedule: Full schedule here | Nightly plays include Oliver Twist at 6 p.m. and Scrooge at 8 p.m.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery. 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2013, all rights reserved.

Vendors at the Dickens’ Christmas Festival 2013, Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Dec. 4, 2013 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News
Vendors at the Dickens Christmas Festival 2013, Dixie Convention Center, St. George, Utah, Dec. 4, 2013 | Photo by Drew Allred, St. George News

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Drew Allred spent his childhood in Washington state and adolescence in northern Utah, originally moving to St. George to attend Dixie State University. Drew graduated with a writing degree, fell in love with Southern Utah, and never left. Today he claims that St. George is the first place that’s ever felt like home. When he’s not rock climbing or exploring the desert, he manages to make a living writing and guiding.

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