Dicken's Village Festival in December

Carlyle Dicken's Village Festival was DECEMBER 2, 3, AND 4, 2011 with Information in Carlyle Town Hall ( at that time of year it was aka Fezziwig's Pub!).  Two of the organizers needing to be mentioned because of all the care and attention they put into the Festival starting work weeks before the Festival are Shiela Menard and Che Cormier of Carlyle. They handle the organizing of the Festival! Shiela is responsible for the entertainments around the town during the festival and Che Cormier decorates! By a friend's words, "Che gets these visions before she decorates and then she proceeds to make the vision come to life through the decorations all over the whole town!" As one of the administrators of the town said, "They make us look very good!"  Hats off to all unsung heros of Dickens!
Quilts and volunteers abounded as decorations and helpers around the town with special mention to those taking part in the annual Victorian Daily Teas at the Carlyle United Church Friday and Saturday afternoons of the Festival. If you went for the fancy teas you probably were assisted by Irene Doty with one of the old fashioned fancy hats you wore for drinking your tea, coffee, juice with little finger held aloft. The 130 signatures Friday doubled on Saturday to more than 263 people eating the dainties all finished with "to die for" (almost) Christmas pudding smothered in sauce all deftly served by wonderfully dressed volunteers in old fashioned clothing whether man, woman or child.
Lots of Musical entertainment - live bands such as The Happy Wanderers, Deb Chalus, Leah and Adah Rasmussen, and Michele Amy (Kenosee Lake Musical Kitchen Party) & Fiddlers and husband, Will Elliott, technician, were some of the musicians about town for Dickens. The Cornerstone Theatre Play- Friday, December 2 at 7:30; Saturday, December 3 at 7:30; Sunday, December 4 at 2:00 pm in the afternoon. The Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol-Remixed!" was the usual but somehow different every performance! There were jam sessions from 10 pm to 11pm at FEZZIWIG'S PUB! (Folks were welcome to jam along!). It was a great Dicken's Village Festival in Carlyle! Lots of memories for anyone attending 2011 until the next one. The 2012 FESTIVAL WILL BE A MILESTONE - IT IS THE 10TH FESTIVAL! Bigger and, as they say, BETTER for sure in 2012! Lots left out! Great NEXT YEAR COUNTRY SO COME DECEMBER, 2012!