Just for the Dickens of it

Twenty-first-century holiday fairs are so blasé. Sure, there’s usually hot apple cider, jolly carolers and holiday food, but where’s the sophistication? Where are those special 19th-century touches, from a culture when men wore tails instead of chasing tail, and women breathed with moderation (courtesy of corsets, of course). Of all places, the Old Town Dickens Faire in Elk Grove is surprisingly where to be seen this weekend. Not only will there be carriage rides, arts and crafts, music and a parade of lights, but it’s also an excuse to use the word “knickerbockers” and exclaim, “What the Dickens!” when a person who’s not dressed in Victorian-era costume passes by. Put on your crab shells and get there.