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BUCKHANNON -- Several downtown streets in Buckhannon will transform back in time when the second annual West Virginia Dickens Festival and Faire gets underway today.
The event, which is inspired by the classic book "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, will feature characters from the writer's novels roaming the decorated city streets throughout the day.
"The festival is based on Dickens' beliefs and his charity toward others," Becki Westfall, an organizer of the event, told The Inter-Mountain Friday. "We encourage everyone to dress up in Victorian period attire and come out and have a good time."
Main Street will be closed to traffic from the Upshur County Courthouse to City Hall for the festival from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Activities will kick off with a Dickens characters breakfast at the Opera House from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.
"You get to eat with characters at our pancake and sausage breakfast," Westfall said. "We have some fantastic characters, including the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge and more. They will all be at breakfast to meet and greet people and they will also be walking around the streets all day long."
Beginning at 11:30 a.m., live entertainment will be offered at the Upshur County Courthouse, Jawbone Park, Fish Hawk Acres and the Opera House, where the Buckhannon-Upshur Orchestra will perform.
Horse and buggy rides from Mountain Trail Rides, Reed Farm, Michael Mick, Stony Brook Horse Farms and Courtney Scott will begin at noon.
The rides will be free with non-perishable canned food donations. Attendees can also skate at the Ice Rink and receive discounted prices for every can of food they donate.
The Rowdy Cowboys will perform horse tricks and offer free rides at 1 p.m. on Madison Street. From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. "A Christmas Story" will be presented at the Colonial Theatre.
From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.,"Montani Cantani" carolers will take to the streets to perform Christmas music.
At 5:15 p.m. the Candlelight Parade will begin. The parade, which features costumed guests and caroling, will take place on Main Street and will conclude at Jawbone Park, where Mayor Robbie Skinner will lead residents in the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m.
A host of vendors will offer food items, antiques, arts and crafts, and more during the festival. Buck's Chestnuts and Poultry will be among the vendors participating and will be roasting chestnuts on an open fire.
Cornerstone Church and Faith Tabernacle will also present a live Nativity, and a petting zoo on Main Street.
The evening will be capped off with the Fezziwigs Costume Ball at the Opera House. The ball will feature the band "Sundance" and Wilma Cutlip, along with other entertainment, including the West Virginia Highland Dancers. Some tickets remain and will be available at the door.
For more information on today's festival, visit the West Virginia Dickens Festival and Faire's Facebook page.