Rochester Dickens Festival To Day

Yeah .... and do not go anywhere near if you're intending to travel by car - the parking in Rochester is a nightmare at the best of times, during the Dickens' Festival it's non-existent and by now (08.50-ish, all the car parks will be full - as will the on-street parking on City Way and all the side roads) - add to the usual traffic queues on Star Hill, Corporation Street, through Strood etc., all those people looking for a parking space and it becomes a 'no-go' area.

The shops will have increased their prices by some silly %, you won't be able to get a table in any of the cafes or move in the bars, the High Street will be solid with people, watching other people wander around dressed as Dicken's characters (and don't get me started on the in-fighting that goes on between these various characters and the "I am always Miss Haversham" rows which go on throughout the year) and - just in case you think I'm being too negative - even for me - I speak as one who for several years had to freeze my ar** off standing on the corner of the High Street and Blue Boar Lane manning a stall (at both summer and Christmas festivals) and who, later today has got to fight my way through this horrendous traffic and chaos to try and get to my daughter's house close to Chatham railway station.

 

Glad you had a lovely day, woo. You certainly had wonderful weather for it

A couple of my friends used to dress in period costume for the Dickens Festivals (and other events)

 

are members of the public expected to dress up as characters ?

 

Not particularly; my friends belong to a group which enjoy dressing as period characters and attending events. Also, they raise money for charity by dressing up and it does draw in (some) crowds who enjoy the added atmosphere it brings.

Those who take it seriously spend their own time and money on trying to 'get it right'; those who take it less seriously, still spend their own time and money, but enjoy a bit more 'artistic licence' with their costumes. Yet, they all do it for the fun of it (and the monies raised are a bonus).