By Hannah Duncan SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Businesses often thrive during the winter months because of holiday shopping. However, in small towns that is not always the case as the cold weather keeps tourists away and limits events. Skaneateles is trying to fight the issue with an old-fashioned annual Christmas celebration.
Dickens Christmas started the day after Thanksgiving, or what is known in Skaneateles as “Bright Friday.” A cast of Dickens characters interact with visitors, who can explore the area to shop, eat, and ride in horse-drawn wagons. The event has been a staple of the town for 25 years. Hilary Fenner, Executive Director at the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce and organizer of the event, has lived in Skaneateles her whole life, and the event has always meant a lot to her.
“I haven’t known a town without Dickens, and it’s a huge part of my childhood,” Fenner said. “I remember riding in the horse-drawn wagons, I remember going to the shows at the library, so a huge part of my childhood is based around this community, the business community, all the experiences of the event.”
This is Fenner’s first year organizing Dickens Christmas, and she has been planning it since August.
For many locally-owned shops in Skaneateles, like Imagine, Dickens Christmas is much more than just a holiday celebration. It also brings more customers through the doors. Sarah Panzarella’s father started Imagine 26 years ago, and he was also one of the people who helped start Dickens Christmas. Sarah took over the business from her father in 2015, and every year she notices the support from the community during Dickens Christmas.
“We’ve been here a long time, so I can say pretty confidently that it definitely helps with our business,” Panzarella said. “Those weekends when the Dickens is up and running, it helps increase, you know, sales just in general, and it’s just a fun, festive event, so people come out to have fun and it certainly benefits the merchants as well.”
Imagine specializes in American handcrafted artwork, and they sell homemade jewelry, ornaments, and even socks. Fenner said without Dickens Christmas, businesses like Imagine would probably have to close for months.
“They put that together 25 years ago and it’s just grown from there,” Fenner said. “It’s a huge part of why the businesses can stay open throughout the winter. They have Dickens Christmas to kind of help them get those customers in and be profitable during these months where it would normally be down.”
After the first weekend this year, Fenner estimated around 700 people attended Dickens Christmas. In general, the event, which typically runs either four or five weekends, draws crowds between 8,000 and 10,000.
“I think the long-term goal is to make sure that it remains a community event, that we can make sure it’s great for tourists and it’s also great for residents, and building it in that way where it’s a fun and exciting event for everyone,” Fenner said. “It can really bring the community together.”
Dickens Christmas continues every Saturday and Sunday until Dec. 23, and it wraps up on Christmas Eve.
