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You are Cordially Invited to
Fezziwig’s Ball

FURTHER INFORMATION

[T]he fiddler ... struck up "Sir Roger de Coverley," Then old Fezziwig stood out to dance with Mrs. Fezziwig. Top couple, too; with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four and twenty pair of partners; people who were not to be trifled with; people who would dance, and had no notion of walking.

- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Purchasing Tickets
Admission is $35 for adults and $15 for students (with id). You can register on-line. Payment can be made with either a credit card or a check. If you do not wish to register and pay on-line you can call the number below and reserve a place by phone. Admission may also be paid at-the-door ($5 surcharge per person).

About the Hall and Directions
The ball will take place at the Old Town Hall, a Federal Style Building, the earliest surviving municipal structure in Salem, MA dating from 1816-17. The second floor of the building, the Great Hall, has always been used as a public hall. Directions to the hall can be found here.

Dancing at Fezziwig’s Ball:
Much of the program will consist of set dances which will be taught during the evening by Barbara Pugliese. These will include such Victorian favorites as Pop Goes the Weasel and The Gothic Dance, other easy contradances and simple quadrilles, as well as Sir Roger de Coverly, an English version of the Virginia Reel. Interspersed with these will be elegant couple dances such as the waltz and polka.

Schedule of Events:
The evening will begin at 7pm with a lantern procession through the streets of historic Salem; Mr. Fezziwig will welcome you back to the hall with steaming cups of spiced cider.
 
We will then have time available for people to change out of their snowboots and into their dancing slippers. Dancing will commence at 8pm. Lavish refreshments will be served at the intermission. Throughout the evening you might have a photographic portrait taken, or visit with father Christmas. The evening’s festivities will conclude at 11pm.

Clothing:
Modern evening dress or costume from the lifetime of Dickens (1812-1870) is requested.
Visit the costume timeline page for inspiration. More detailed information on period costuming is available in our costuming library.
Changing space is extremely limited. We suggest you arrive in your costume if possible; a very small changing room will be available for last-minute adjustments. The hall will open at 6pm.
A Few Hints: Strapless gowns don’t lend themselves to the period style of the evening; consider adding a shrug or tie a shawl over your shoulders. Ballet slippers or low heeled shoes are recommended for ladies; for gentlemen we suggest comfortable shoes with leather soles.

Train Service & Parking:
There are parking lots in the area and on-street parking is free after 5 pm weeknights, ther is a large parking garage near the Peabody Essex Museum. There is a commuter rail from Boston’s North Station to Salem. For parking consult the City of Salem website

Mr. Fezziwig has spared no expense at this year’s Ball, even going so far as to hire an Artist, Mr. Bryan Krauthamer, to use the new method of Photography, as recently introduced in this country by Mr Samuel Morse, to record the likenesses of those attending the ball. There will be no charges for these services, of course, though those wishing to provide a modest honorarium for the Photographer are encouraged to do so.