Charles Dickens Bicentenary event celebrates classic novels, British food, tea

FREE event at British Emporium includes Charles Dickens expert Professor Don Vann, tea and British refreshments, short reading, canned food drive for GRACE

(Grapevine) – Professor Don Vann, expert on famed Victorian novelist Charles Dickens, will make a special guest appearance at The British Emporium in Grapevine at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 17. This event is in celebration of the bicentenary of Charles Dickens’ birth, which was on February 7, 2012.

Professor Vann will give a talk about “Food in Dickens’ Novels.” Complimentary tea and British refreshments will be provided.

The British Emporium players will perform a short reading from a Dickens novel.

Also present will be Stephanie Miller, associate editor of Tea in Texas magazine, a bi-monthly cultural travel publication devoted to tea, historic homes and cultural events. Miller will provide complimentary copies of her magazine to attendees. 

In memory of Dickens’ well known charity work, donations will be accepted for Grapevine Relief And Community Exchange (GRACE), a local non-profit organization.

Store owners Sheela Kadam and Alexandra Evans regularly organize British related community events at their store, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“We are delighted to give local fans of Dickens and English literature the opportunity to meet such a distinguished expert at our store. Despite the passage of time, Dickens still remains a great inspiration to so many. It’s important to us to mark the bicentenary of Britain’s most famous novelist and philanthropist, and it seems fitting to help the local food pantry at the same time,” said Kadam.

Evans added: “There is a great contemporary interest in Dickens. So whether you enjoy reading his novels or watching the costume dramas and films, this promises to be a fascinating evening!”

Visitors will find historic British food brands that were in operation during Charles Dickens’ lifetime, such as Cadbury; Colmans; McVitie’s; Rowntree; Schweppes and Twinings Tea.

Dr. Vann is a Regent’s Professor of English, retired, and Professor Emeritus at the University of North Texas. A co-founder of the Denton Dickens Fellowship, he is also a member of The London Dickens Fellowship and the London Pickwick Club.

For 20 years, The British Emporium has provided British groceries and gifts at the most British spot in the Metroplex. Owners Sheela Kadam and Alexandra Evans are reknowned for holding year-round community-related British cultural events such as royal celebrations, carshows and hosting VIP visitors from Great Britain. The store stocks hard-to-find imported items and is a popular meeting point for the expatriate British community and Anglophiles alike.

The British Emporium is located at 140 N. Main St., Grapevine, TX 76051. Call them at 817-421-2311. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. -6 p.m.; Sundays 12 noon-5 p.m.

Thanks to Leigh Lyons, Communications Manager, Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, for submitting news of this event.

To submit your news and events for publication, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.

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