Programme & practical info
Everything you need to know about the day itself: what is on, when it starts, how to get to Tiel and where to park.
The programme at a glance
- 12:00
Start of the festival
The shopping streets of Tiel have been taken back to the 19th century. Straw on the cobbles, long johns on the washing lines and around 200 extras: fine ladies and gentlemen, street urchins and craftsmen of the time.
- 12:00 to 17:00
Christmas market on Het Plein and Kleibergsestraat
More than 50 stalls with Christmas goods, from soaps, tea, chocolate and postcards to wreaths, candles and jewellery. And in several places you can stop for a warm winter treat.
- 13:45
The Dickens parade
Around 200 extras in the dress of a century and more ago parade through the whole town centre, led by a piper from a Highland pipe band. The weeks before are spent fitting, washing and ironing.
- In the streets
Street theatre and entertainment
Eye-catchers in the streets: a rat-catcher, a schoolmistress with her pupils, mourning women, orphans, fishwives and a glimpse of the life of a 19th-century farmer. And there is plenty to do for young and old.
- Sleigh rides (free)
- Carousel from 1922
- Carol singers
- Floating Christmas trees in the town moat
- 17:00
End of the festival
The town returns to the present. Until next year.
- Date
- Sunday 13 December 2026
- Times
- 12:00 to 17:00
- Parade
- 13:45, through the whole town centre
- Entry
- Free
- Parking
- Free (except permit-holder spaces)
Where it all happens
The festival spreads across several spots in the centre of Tiel.
Varkensmarkt and Groenmarkt
The squares of the festival, full of crafts, extras and street theatre.
Het Plein
The Christmas market with more than 50 stalls is the heart of the day.
Kleibergsestraat
Christmas market and extras in the shopping street.
Weerstraat
Dickens Home, the base of the foundation.
Getting to Tiel & parking
Free parking
Parking is free on the day of the festival, except for permit-holder spaces.
Tiel town centre
The festival takes place in the shopping streets of the centre. Address for your sat nav: Waterstraat, Tiel, the heart of the centre.
Dickens Home
Since July 2026 the foundation is based in the old Ballast building at Weerstraat 29, Tiel. This is where the fitting evenings for the extras take place, and on 13 December the Dickens Pin is on sale here.
By train
Tiel has its own railway station, served by NS and Arriva. From Utrecht Centraal the NS Sprinter runs direct via Geldermalsen and takes about 40 minutes. From Arnhem Centraal the Arriva train runs via Elst.
From the station
From the station it is about 1.3 km to the Weerstraat in the town centre, about 15 minutes on foot.
By car
Tiel lies on the A15 motorway. Without traffic it is about 45 minutes from Utrecht, about 40 minutes from Arnhem or Nijmegen, and a little over an hour from Rotterdam.
From Amsterdam and Schiphol
By train, allow about an hour and 20 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal and about an hour and a half from Schiphol Airport, with one change. By car both are about an hour and a quarter without traffic.
Geldermalsen, 19 December
Geldermalsen station lies on the railway line from Utrecht to ’s-Hertogenbosch, and the Sprinter between Utrecht and Tiel stops there too.
Frequently asked questions
Is the festival free?
Yes. Entry and parking are free, except for permit-holder spaces.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. There is a sleigh with a free ride and a carousel from 1922. And among the extras there is plenty for children to see.
What time does the parade start?
At 13:45. The parade goes through the whole town centre, led by a piper from a Highland pipe band. The starting point follows once the programme is final.
Why is Dickens Tiel on 13 December this year?
Because Sinterklaas falls exactly on the weekend of 5 and 6 December this year. So Tiel goes first, on Sunday 13 December, and Geldermalsen follows on Saturday 19 December.
Can I buy a souvenir?
Yes: the Dickens Pin, the Dickens Flipje, for € 5. On sale on 13 December at Dickens Home in the centre of Tiel, or by email via info@victoriaans-dickens-tiel.nl. The proceeds go towards the rising cost of the costumes.
Dickens Festival Geldermalsen, the fifth edition
A week after Tiel it is Geldermalsen’s turn: Saturday 19 December 2026, from 13:00 to 17:30. The Geldermalsen retailers’ association, led by Karin (Zin in! Kids Conceptstore) and Janneke (Lingerie by Janneke), organises this Dickens Festival together with the Christmas market. Stichting Victoriaans Dickens Tiel takes care of the Dickens Festival itself.
Throughout the centre of Geldermalsen visitors are treated to cosy Christmas market stalls. On the Markt, Dickens takes centre stage for the fifth year, and you stroll along the Geldersestraat, the Kerkstraat and part of Achter ’t Veer.
In this anniversary year visitors will find more street theatre, performed by the Dickens extras. Working folk, fine ladies and gentlemen and the street urchins will keep you royally entertained.
- Date
- Saturday 19 December 2026
- Dickens Festival
- 13:00 to 17:30
- Christmas market
- 12:00 to 19:00
- Where
- De Markt, Geldermalsen
Ask the foundation
Have a question about the festival or your visit? Send an email to info@victoriaans-dickens-tiel.nl. We reply as soon as we can.