Christmas

This Gold Country Fest Boasts Vintage Victorian Vibes

Nevada City's beloved Victorian Christmas, an outdoor street fair, will roast the chestnuts over a few select December dates.

sakchai vongsasiripat/Nevada City Victorian Christmas

What to Know

  • Nevada City, California
  • Sunday afternoons: Dec. 5, 12, and 19; Wednesday evenings: Dec. 8 and 15
  • Free; the shuttle to reach downtown is $5 (round trip, and it is complimentary for guests ages 15 and under)

THE CHARM OF CHESTNUTS: When you mention "chestnut" to someone, you could be talking about the woodsy-warm hue, or horses, or the tree, or an oft-told tale, or even a dish that features the meaty (but not actually meat) delicacy. But if you're mooning over roasted chestnuts, that's a different and delicious matter, of course. The warm-to-the-touch, warm-to-the-tum goodies are synonymous with Christmastime, though finding them in the modern era isn't always as easy as locating gingerbread cookies, hot cocoa, or other holiday-ready hankerings. But there is a place that not only roasts chestnuts, but embodies the sort of ye olde spirit that is associated with the seasonal snack: Nevada City. For the picturesque hamlet, which is located in the northerly reaches of California's Gold Country, is home to...

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS: The spirited and sparkly street fair has become well-known over the decades, so it is no surprise that it takes place over not one, not two, but several December dates. The days of the week to remember? Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, though Victorian Christmas only shines on particular Sundays and Wednesdays during the month (so do check the schedule). But what can the time-traveling visitor expect as they stroll by the town's 1800s-built structures? Booths brimming with crafts, yummy confections, and the occasional top-hatted or hoop-skirted denizen (and, yes, there is walking Christmas tree, so keep your peepers at the ready for the friendly fir).

ENTRY IS FREE, the first 2021 date is Dec. 5, and the final Sunday is Dec. 19. There's a $5 shuttle, to help you reach the downtown area, and other "chestnuts" to be found on the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce site.

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