The 16th annual Dickens Victorian Village will officially kick-off in Cambridge  during an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 outside the Guernsey County Courthouse on Wheeling Avenue.

The opening ceremony follows the familiar mannequins taking their place on Wheeling Avenue in downtown on Sunday, and the unveiling of the 2021 Guernsey County Courthouse light show at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

"This is unique. There is nothing else like it and people love to come back every year," said Tom Davey, former president of the Dickens Victorian Village board of directors. "The mannequins are so life-like and the light show is always spectacular.

"And, there are activities for people while they are here," added Davey.

Volunteers are still needed to help with moving the mannequins and individuals can contact Davey at 740-584-0857, for more information.

Volunteers are encouraged to wear heavy gloves to protect their hands and they can meet downtown at the corner of 11th Street and Wheeling Avenue starting at 9 a.m. Sunday to unload the approximately 90 displays.

Individuals with trucks and trailers who want to volunteer to transport the mannequins to downtown can meet at the Dickens Universal Warehouse on Woodlawn Avenue behind Woodlawn Dental Clinic.

Dickens Victorian Village created by Bob Ley brings numerous visitors to Cambridge each holiday season to the view displays that include engaging depictions of classic Dickens-era scenes and figures while visiting downtown businesses.

Popular activities during the Dickens Victorian Village season include trolley rides and horse-drawn carriage rides, weather permitting, in the downtown area.

Carriage rides are available Friday and Saturdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children (no charge for toddlers age 3 and under), and they can be purchased at the site or the Dickens Victorian Village Welcome Center.

Beginning Monday, the Welcome Center and Curiosity Shoppe is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and all holidays.

Visitors can learn the story of the Dickens Village from volunteers dressed in costume.

The annual Chocolate Walk is scheduled for Nov. 11 and a limited number of tickets are available at the Welcome Center.

The cost is $25 per person and participants receive a chocolate treat from participating businesses while walking the streets of historical downtown Cambridge.

Two Victorian teas are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 11, in the Masonic Ballroom located in downtown Cambridge. Reservations are required by calling the Welcome Center, 740-421-4956. Cost is $19.95.

The Queens Tea is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday Nov. 20, at the Cambridge Country Club, 60755 Southgate Road. The full tea will include various teas, scones, savories, and a lunch while Queen Victoria shares bits of her life story.

Reservations are required by calling the Welcome Center. Cost is $25.

The final Founders Cemetery tour is also scheduled for Nov. 13 with a $5 admission at the cemetery at the corner of Southgate Parkway and Turner Avenue.

The National Museum of Cambridge Glass at 136 South Ninth St. will offer 2021 holiday tours from noon to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays starting Nov. 6 and continuing through Dec. 18. General admission is $5 with a $4 rate for seniors and AAA members. The museum will also offer Thanksgiving weekend tours Nov. 26-27 from noon to 4 p.m. each day. Call the museum, 740-432-4245, or visit the website, www.cambridgeglass.org, for more information. 

Hours for the Guernsey County Courthouse Light Show are 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 1 to 6 and 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 7 to Dec. 31. Shows on most weekends and holidays will run until 11 p.m., according to the schedule posted on the Dickens website.

The one-hour show that runs continuously was designed by AVC Communications and features  364 electrical circuits meticulously synchronized to a holiday soundtrack that includes approximately 30,000 lights.

The 2021 show includes a children's set with holiday favorites like "Frosty the Snowman" including a song  by Cambridge area fifth graders, contemporary recordings featuring local saxophonist Gordon Hough, and a popular Christmas music selection.

Visitors are asked to park their vehicles and watch the show from the courthouse lawn. Those wishing to hear the show music can tune into 102.7 FM.

For a full calendar of events and additional information about the activities in Cambridge, visit www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.