ACMB loves Dickens on Main! We are happy to partner again with Dickens on Main to bring helpful tips for families. This is a sponsored post.
San Antonio winters can be fantastic. Very (very!) rarely is there snow to shovel, ice to scrape, or heavy coats and boots to manage. Yet, come Christmas season, it’s not visions of sugar plums that dance in my head but visions of wintery Christmas scenes that are all too absent in the Hill Country area. Snow-tipped trees, crackling fires, peaceful snowfall, sledding hills, and cozy sweaters fill my imaginary, non-Texas Christmas visions. Last year, my family made a new holiday tradition with our first visit to Dickens on Main in Boerne, and this South Texas family was thrilled to add snow, sledding hills, carolers, and more to our holiday season.
From Friday, November 24 through Saturday, November 25, Main Street in Boerne will be closed off to traffic for the evening hours so that thousands of people can enjoy the free-admission, two-day holiday extravaganza. Boerne transforms its “Hill County Mile” into the quintessential small town Christmas dream.
Planning on bringing your family to Dickens on Main this year? Here is a list of things you and your kids won’t want to miss!
Top Attractions for Kids at Dickens on Main:
- Free Family Photos. Okay, so this is more for mom than the kids, but I’m putting it first on the list so you can plan to swing by the FREE photo station in the gazebo in the North Pole Village before one (or more) of you has spilled hot cocoa, spiced wine, or mustard onto your shirt. Professional photographers have an area set up for family photos, which can be sent to you to share immediately. You can even order Holiday Cards directly from the photo website.
- Snow Slide! Your kids will be astounded when they see the 60-foot ice slide and snow on Main Street. Snow? In South Texas? Yes! Lines can be long for the ice slide, but the wait is worth it. Where else in the San Antonio area can you let your kid slide down ice? Consider picking up some food from the nearby food vendors to snack on while waiting. It’s also a good idea to take a restroom break before getting in line.
- Crafts Table. These are not your “glue a foam star on a foam tree” type of crafts. These are crafts you will actually display in your home. Last year my son had his first experience with a hot glue gun as he crafted a Christmas tree ornament with wood, greenery, buttons, and twine. I’m proud to say that he handled the glue gun like a champ, and we gladly displayed his ornament on our tree for the whole holiday season. Plan to visit the Tiny Tim Village between 3:00–8:00 P.M. on Friday and Saturday to create free holiday crafts.
- Animal Encounters. Do you have an animal lover in your crew? New this year to Dickens on Main, live reindeer at Reindeer Village will be available for photos from 6:30–8:30 P.M. both nights. And be sure to check out the petting zoo and pony rides, available for an additional fee in the North Pole Village.
- Photos and Visits with Santa. The Dickens on Main team has high standards when it comes to finding just the right Santa. Photos with Santa are available for an additional fee in Santa’s Village from 1:00-9:00 P.M. both days.
- Giving Back. Bill Taylor, meteorologist from KENS-5, will be at Dickens on Main on Friday collecting toys for his Bill’s Elves initiative, which provides Christmas gifts for children in the care of Child Protective Services. Help your kids choose a new toy, then teach them the joy of giving to others by having them drop it off, unwrapped, at the Bill’s Elves tent near Tiny Tim Village!
- Live Performances. There are multiple performances both days. Carolers stroll through the streets in Dickens-era clothing in the evening. In the Main Plaza, families can dance to live music performances. At 8:00 P.M. on Friday, Groove Knight will take the stage with covers of all your favorite songs. Saturday night’s musical headliner is Passing Strangers with ’80s retro. Craving some Dickens? Head to the Dickens Village stage for a spectacular one-man performance of A Christmas Carol.
Parking is free in the surrounding streets. There is a lot of walking, so a stroller, extra snacks, and blankets/jackets are a great idea for little ones. The streets within the event are blocked off in the evening, and the whole area feels both full and idyllic. As Katie wrote of Dickens on Main last year, “It is like stepping into a happy Christmas bubble that you know will only last for two days.”
For a full schedule of the weekend’s events, check out www.dickensonmain.com. Better yet, bring the information with you to the event by downloading the Dickens on Main Guidebook app. The app gives you the full Dickens on Main schedule and allows you to choose specific activities and create your own schedule with reminders. Some families choose to make a whole night of Dickens on Main and stay in a hotel in the Boerne area. Follow Dickens on Main on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.
