The first Dickensian Evening in December was organised by the Wymondham Lions in 1986 - and what a magical event it turned out to be!

The then-vibrant Wymondham Chamber of Trade took over the organisation in 1988, and the front of the programme for that year is shown below. It featured a host of evening events, among them the switching on of the Christmas lights, communal carols with music by Wymondham Brass Consort, the arrival of Father Christmas by horse and trap, a pub go-cart race and presentation of the Wymondham Shop Assistant of the Year Award.

There were various stalls on the Market Place, as well as a Punch and Judy Show. The Match Box Toy shop, then in Damgate Street, had a Santa's Grotto where children could meet Father Christmas, and before Dickensian evenings, Santa, played by Chamber of Trade legend Eddie Buttolph, had toured the town handing out goodies to kiddies.

Dickensian evenings were continued for some years by Wymondham traders but in 2013, for a short spell, they became Wymondham Dickensian Steampunk, then in 2016, the Town Team staged Wynterfest until 2019 and Covid.

Entering into the spirit of the occasion, some shopkeepers even sported Dickensian garb.