Skip to main content
Contact us Submit an event listing
Visit Medway Web Logo Visit Medway
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Travelling to Medway
    • Itinerary Ideas
    • Attraction Listings
    • What's On Event Listings
    • Car Free Days around Medway

    Looking for somewhere to stay? Check out our accommodation section for more details.

    Image: courtesy of Premier Inns

    • Support Services for Visitors & Coach Groups
    • Parking in Medway
    • Medway's Breathtaking Wedding Venues
  • See & Do
    • Our Destinations
    • Find Attractions
    • Dickensian Medway
    • Castles and Forts
    • Military and Maritime
    • Natural Landscape & Open Spaces
    • River Medway
    • Houses of History
    • Get Active
    • Rochester Castle
    • Rochester Cathedral
    • Eastgate House
    • Guildhall Museum
    • The Historic Dockyard Chatham
    • Upnor Castle
    • Royal Engineers Museum
    • Medway Aircraft Preservation Society
    • Fort Amherst
    • Huguenot Museum
    • Shopping & Markets
    • Food & Drink
    • Blogs & Features
    • Events, shows & exhibitions
    • River trips
    • Walking tours
    • Costumed Guided Tours
    • The Rochester Trail
  • What's On
    • What's On in 2026
    • Easter 2026 in Medway: Days out with the Kids
    • Rochester Sweeps Festival 2026
    • Armed Forces Day 2026

    Rochester Sweeps Festival is coming this May!

    DSCF1340
    Explore the full calendar of events and activities in our What’s On section.
    • Medway's Major Events
    • Submit an event listing
    • What's on at the Theatres
  • Arts & Culture
    • Medway Arts Tours - Costumed Character Tours
    • Stephen Moriarty Artist - Costumed Tours of Rochester
    • The Central Theatre
    Image: Open Arts Studio & Festival
    Unleash your creativity at the Medway Open Studio & Arts Festival!
    • The Riverside Gallery at Sun Pier House
    • Halpern Pop Gallery
    • Nucleus Arts Chatham
    • Intra Arts Chatham
  • Inspire Me
    • Medway's Breathtaking Wedding Venues
    • Magnificent Craft Ales & Micropubs
    • Car Free Days around Medway

    Check out our blogs and features for itinerary ideas and inspiration

    • Dickensian Medway
    • History & Heritage
    • Castles & Forts
    • Military & Maritime
    • Natural Landscape & Open Spaces
    • Houses of History
    • River Medway
  • Weddings

Search our site

Visit Medway Web Logo Visit Medway
Plan Your Visit See & Do What's On Arts & Culture Inspire Me Weddings
Contact us Submit an event listing
  1. Home
  2. What's On
  3. Find events
  4. Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival
Characterswith Fagin Comms Image
Location Local station Rochester

Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival

5th December - 6th December 2026

Step back in time and start the festive season in Dickensian style at the popular Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival.

This year, the festival will take place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, right in the heart of historic Rochester.

Experience street entertainment, readings, parades, and guaranteed snow as you’re captivated by Dickens’ characters and explore the literary journey of the great writer’s life.

During your visit to the festival, why not make the most of your day by exploring the Christmas market at Rochester Castle and picking up a special gift or souvenir to take home?

Enjoy the charm of a traditional Victorian Christmas. There’s so much in store for the whole family this year, including:
Fagin at Dickensian Christmas

Image: Fagin at Dickensian Christmas

Dickensian Characters

Image: Dickensian Characters

  • Live performances and street entertainers
  • Incredible costumed parades
  • Hands-on Dickensian-themed workshops
  • An amazing Christmas market at Rochester Castle
  • Bavarian food village offering delicious food and drink
  • Magical funfair right in the heart of the castle gardens and Christmas market
  • And lots more!
More details about the event including the programme, will be published here.

Useful Information:

  • The two-day Dickensian Festival takes place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December, from 10am to 6pm.

  • Parking in the centre of Rochester is limited, and we encourage all our visitors to use public transport whenever possible.

    The Rochester Train Station is a convenient 5-minute walk away from the Rochester Castle Gardens. Click here to plan your journey. 

    Rochester is also accessible by bus. Click here to plan your journey.

    If you are visiting by coach or minibus, we strongly advise pre-booking your visit. Click here to book. 
     
    Additional information on travel and the park and ride arrangements will be published soon.

     

  • Yes, the Rochester Christmas Market will take place during the same weekend as the festival.
     
    For dates and times of the market, please click this link.

     

Coach Bookings

All visiting coaches must pre-book their parking for this event.

Click here to book.

Location

Open Map

Address

Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival Historic Rochester town centre

Contact

[email protected]
Scrooge Comms Image
Marchingband Comms Image
Scrooge Window Comms Image
Fireman Commsimage
Band Commsimage Rs
Characters Parade Commsimage Rs
Dickensian Characters Comms Image
Medcouncil Cmykstrapline
Visit Medway
Official website of Visit Medway, Medway Council
Our other sites

Medway Tickets Live Medway Council Adobe Acrobat Reader Google Maps
Our Destinations

Rochester Chatham Gillingham
Terms & Conditions Cookies Accessibility Privacy Contact Us Site Map
Official website of Visit Medway, Medway Council