GARRISON - One of the most famous Christmas stories in the world is helping this small lake community kick off the holiday season for the 12th year in a row.

This weekend marked the beginning of the annual Dickens Village Festival, which transforms Garrison into a place where townspeople dress in Victorian-style garb, hot soup is served on the sidewalk, and transportation includes a horse-drawn carriage and a double-decker bus.

The event is themed around Charles Dickens' popular book, "A Christmas Carol," which has been converted into several variations of plays and movies since its release in 1843. A local version of "The Christmas Carol"is also acted out on stage by local actors during the festival.

The festival began Friday afternoon with events all day. The hub of activity was on Main Street.

By 4 p.m. Friday, the street was crowded with people buying savory soups, turkey legs, hot chocolate and other treats from street vendors.

Barb Osterlund, owner of Fezziwig's on Main, said the festival seems to pick up steam every year.

"People love Dickens; Ithink it kind of gets their Christmas season going,"Osterlund said.

Osterlund was dressed in Victorian clothing and had live bands playing in her store to celebrate the event.

Other events include tours of homes that are decorated for Christmas, a nightly lighted parade, special concerts, Norwegian dancers and trips to nearby Fort Stevenson State Park. The festival continues today, Dec. 2-3 and Dec. 9-10.

Right outside of Fezziwig's, people waited in line to ride a horse-drawn carriage, or a red double-decker bus, dubbed "Queen Elizabus." The bus is a 1960 model English bus that can take up to 70 passengers around town to see the sights.

Jeanne Rensch, a volunteer who was selling tickets for the bus, said tickets were selling well on the first day of the event.

Rensch said she enjoys working at the event because of the friendly people she meets. She expected crowds to grow as the festival continued, especially next weekend when buses from Canada and South Dakota bring visitors to the area.

"The town will be booming,"Rensch said.

Relatively nice weather kept people in high spirits. Although highs were only around 30 for the first day of the festival, the wind was light and the sun was bright.

McKaila Matteson was pleased with the weather, even though she had to stand outside selling caramel-puffed corn for the local 4-H club.

"Compared to other years, we've had snow and the whole works, so this is not bad compared to what we could have,"Matteson said.

Mo Parrish, of Surrey, said there are many more vendors at the event this year compared to the first festival.

"It's a lot bigger and a lot better,"Parrish said.

Parrish was one of several people who set up booths in the Garrison Auditorium to sell arts and crafts.

Terry Mehlhoff, a McLean County deputy sheriff, said the event's lasting power has surprised some people.

"Some people didn't think this would fly after the first year, but it's grown ever since,"Mehlhoff said.

For the fourth year in a row, Mehlhoff carried a nightstick and was dressed as a British "bobby,"or policeman.

"It's a fun time and just a nice way to mingle with the people," Mehlhoff said.

(Reach reporter Tom Rafferty at 223-8482 or tom.rafferty@;bismarcktribune.com.)