Today's Narberth Dickens Festival: What to Know Before Going

The sixth annual Narberth Dickens Festival takes place downtown in the borough from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Based on crowds at past Dickens Festivals, thousands of residents and visitors are expected to attend.

The Dickens Festival takes place on the streets and sidewalks of downtown Narberth, with decorations, activities and characters adhering to the theme of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, set in 1840s Victorian London.

Whether you've come before or not, here are some things you should know about this year's festival:

• There is no fee to attend. Carriage rides cost $5, and some souvenirs are on sale.
• From Saturday morning into early Saturday evening, eastbound trains on SEPTA's Paoli-Thorndale Regional Rail line are scheduled to stop at Narberth's station at 31 and 57 minutes after each hour. Westbound trains are scheduled to stop there at 2 and 32 minutes after each hour.
• Here's how the Narberth Business Association describes the parking situation: "There is metered and unmetered parking on streets near the festival. There are also lots at Narberth Borough Hall (100 Conway Ave.), behind Citizens Bank on Haverford Ave., in the Elmwood Ave. SEPTA lot on the other side of the train station, and next to St. Margaret's School."
• The Narberth Theatre is showing the 90-minute film The Muppet Christmas Carol on two separate screens at 11 a.m.
• A scavenger hunt for kids begins at 1 p.m. at the main festival booth at Haverford and Forrest avenues.
• That location is also likely the best place to go if you have questions or concerns during the festival. Beforehand, check the festival's website.
• Other features to expect: musicians, carolers, ballet dancers, crafts, ice sculpting, face painting, hot beverages and snacks.
• Check the hourly weather.com forecast for Narberth before you go. As of early Saturday morning, it called for a mostly cloudy afternoon in the low to mid-50s, with a 10 to 20 percent chance of rain.
• Check out Patch's reporting and photography from the 2010 Dickens Festival and the 2011 Dickens Festival.