Great Dickens Christmas Fair 2026: A Holiday Tradition Near San Francisco
Wondering what to do in San Francisco during the holiday season?
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair has been a Bay Area holiday tradition since 1970 and returns for its 42nd season, transforming the Cow Palace into a bustling slice of Victorian London, complete with cobblestone streets, costumed characters, bustling pubs, theatrical performances, and a marketplace filled with holiday gifts.
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair 2026 runs on five weekends, plus the Friday after Thanksgiving:
- November 21–22
- November 27–29 (Friday through Sunday)
- December 5–6
- December 12–13
- December 19–20
Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. each day.
Location: Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City.
Tickets are sold online only at DickensFair.com
Inspired by author Charles Dickens and his colorful cast of characters, the annual fair is part holiday shopping excursion, part immersive theater. Visitors might encounter Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver Twist, or the Artful Dodger while wandering through a world of carolers, music halls, Victorian dancing, and spontaneous street performances.
📸 Photo courtesy of dickensfair.com
What’s New at the 2026 Dickens Christmas Fair?
This year’s theme, “Raise Your Spirits,” celebrates the daring early days of hot-air ballooning. A real hot-air balloon and basket will be on display, along with a costumed aeronaut and a tribute to Margaret Graham, who became the first British woman to complete a solo balloon flight in 1826.
Elsewhere, visitors can join the festivities at Fezziwig’s Warehouse, catch theatrical pantomimes, enjoy live entertainment in Victorian-style pubs, and watch Father Christmas make his procession through the streets.
Holiday shoppers will find handmade jewelry, toys, decorations, and artisan goods crafted from glass, wood, and leather.
And unlike most holiday fairs, this one encourages visitors to become part of the performance. Victorian costumes are welcome, though certainly not required.
A Holiday Outing Near San Francisco International Airport
The Cow Palace sits in Daly City, south of downtown San Francisco and roughly a 15- to 20-minute drive from San Francisco International Airport, depending on traffic.
That makes the Dickens Christmas Fair an unusual option for travelers with a particularly long layover at SFO during these dates. You’ll need ample time between flights, but wandering Victorian London certainly beats another afternoon in an airport lounge.
A San Francisco Holiday Tradition
For families, couples, and anyone looking for something beyond the usual holiday lights and shopping, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair offers a decidedly theatrical way to celebrate the season.
Where: Cow Palace, Daly City, California, just south of San Francisco.
More information and tickets: DickensFair.com
👉 Give yourself several hours to explore. Between the performances, shops, food, and unexpected encounters with Dickensian characters, there’s a lot to see and do.
