DICKENS DOWNTOWN, 5PM-9PM ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4

The streets and shops of historic downtown Northport will once again come alive with music, children's activities and holiday decor at this year's Dickens Downtown on Tuesday, December 4 from 5:00 - 9:00pm. Now in its eighteenth year, Dickens Downtown promises traditional fun for all ages.

Visitors can enjoy the sounds of the holidays with music provided by community and area school groups. Other holiday activities include the Friends of Historic Northport holiday tree lighting, visits with Father Christmas; carriage rides along Main Avenue and Dickens carolers. Traditional craftspeople will be at the Kentuck Art Center demonstrating craftwork such as basket weaving, blacksmithing, pottery firing, and broom making. The sound of bagpipes will echo up and down Main Avenue with performances by the prestigious piping group, Alabama Pipes & Drums. The special guest again this year will be Her Royal Highness Queen Victoria who will arrive at Adams Antiques in a horse-drawn carriage and greet guests during the evening. By royal decree, actual snow will fall throughout the evening on Dickens visitors. The shops and galleries of downtown Northport will be open and decorated for the holidays, and merchants will be in traditional Victorian costume. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume as well. All musical and craft events at 2007 Dickens Downtown are free. Photos with Father Christmas will carry a small fee, as will tours of Shirley Place.

Support for Dickens Downtown comes from the Downtown Northport Merchants Association, the City of Northport, the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Gloria Narramore Moody Foundation, and the Kentuck Museum Association. The City of Northport will close the intersection of 5th Street and Main Avenue and approaching cross streets at 4:45 pm. Downtown Northport is directly across from downtown Tuscaloosa on the northern bank of the Black Warrior River. From I59/I20 take exit 71B onto I359/Highway 69 North. Cross the Black Warrior River and take the first Northport exit.