Warmer Weather Brings Crowds to Port Jefferson For Dickens on Sunday

With warmer weather and mostly sunny skies, people showed up to Port Jefferson village to kick off the holiday season at the annual Charles Dickens Festival. Those returning to the festival saw some traditions continue and may have caught some new ones in the making.

A newly built evelated track spanning the entire width of the Toys For Tots Railroad exhibit in Belle Terre was on display over the weekend. According to John Serabian who was working the switches on Sunday, the new wooden beams and trusses were built on site and took three days to cut and assemble.

The electric trains will be on display at the Belle Terre community center until Dec. 26. You can keep up with the Toys For Tots Railroad on Facebook.

Punch and Judy made an appearance in Chandler Square over the weekend. According to a website dedicated to the age-old act, the Punch and Judy Show's golden era was in England during the mid-1800s.

On Sunday the show quickly became a popular attraction with spectators clogging up the sidewalk outside Chandler Square just to catch the performance.

Returning to the stage at the Masonic Temple was the Great Wizard of the North who entertained both kids and their parents with his magic tricks and gags. Children from the audience were brought up to help perform feats of magic.

Bill O'Day, who was visiting the Dickens Festival from Manhasset said the magic show was a big hit with his family.

Mayor Margot Garant said that she thought this year’s Dickens Festival was one of the best.

“Fabulous,” she said in an email to Patch. “Positive, happy, upbeat. Everyone needed a bit of Holiday spirit.”

Did you attend the Dickens Festival in Port Jefferson? Click here to add your photos to our gallery.

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