Hernando’s Dickens of a Christmas

Merry & Bright

Dickens of a Christmas brings Victorian-era charm to historic Hernando Square

The everlasting tale of “A Christmas Carol” came to life this past holiday season when Hernando’s historic town square hosted the city’s first-ever Dickens of a Christmas event, a festive weekend bash that was hosted on November 9 from 1 to 5 p.m.

We have some businesses on the square who decorate beautifully for the holidays during the yearly open house,” said Gia Matheny, Community Development Director with the City of Hernando, “But the city itself hasn’t really had a way to bring about the Christmas spirit.”

The event, which was hosted in conjunction with the Hernando Chamber of Commerce and the annual Christmas Open House on The Square, featured 19 local businesses decked out in holiday décor in effort to recreate the timeless holiday tale, as well as scores of local merrymakers dressed in period-authentic clothing to match the Victorian theme. Hernando was incorporated in 1832 around the same time as the famed Victorian era, just 11 years before legendary author Charles Dickens penned A Christmas Carol, which made the city a perfect fit for the festive event.

“Downtown was a beautiful place to do it, and we wanted to do something that would incorporate the cultural aspect of our city, as well as bring a little Christmas spirit to the surrounding area,” said Matheny.

Given the subject matter, a partnership with Desoto Family Museum only made sense for adding context and an authentic sense of history to Hernando’s first-ever Victorianera Christmas celebration.

“We spoke with Robert Long from the museum, and after giving him the pitch for the whole event, he came up with the idea of offering Carriage rides around The Square,” said Matheny.

The Desoto County Museum provided a horse-drawn carriage, with curator Robert Long acting as coachman and outfitted in his 18th-century best.

“We originally planned to do the carriage rides from 1 to 3 p.m., but it was so popular that Rob stuck around until the sun went down giving his very unique tours,” said Matheny. “It was wonderful and I think the museum got a lot of exposure as a result.”

A towering Christmas tree near the clock tower, which served as a centerpiece for the event, was donated from Hernando United Methodist Church to the Hernando Chamber of Commerce.

One of the primary goals of the Dickens of a Christmas event was to incorporate different community organizations to build awareness and attract additional visitors to Downtown Hernando. This was accomplished through the work of numerous community partners doing what they do best. These partnerships include organizations like The DeSoto Arts Council, which displayed unique, handcrafted works of art at their building near the clock tower.

Vendors from the Hernando Farmers Market also got in on the fun with special Christmas-themed booths and numerous holiday wares for sale. DeSoto Family Theater, Northwest Mississippi Community College and Ballet DeSoto all provided actors and dancers to perform and interact with visitors, while professional storyteller Rebecca Moore Jernigan regaled eager onlookers with tales of Christmases long, long ago thanks to a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council.

“Dr. Jernigan was fantastic, she has a background in theater and was able to act out some of the parts, which I think added a lot to the story,” said Matheny.

cookies and received a free children’s book from Excel By 5. The Hernando Animal Shelter also hosted a display featuring pet photos with Santa.

In addition to a slew of festive activities and decorations at Hernando’s Historic Square, the rest of the city shined more brilliantly than in years past in more ways than one.

“Through two grants that the city received – one from Wal-Mart and one from Entergy – we were able to increase the number of Christmas lights for our city,” said Matheny, “2019 marked the second consecutive year that Wal-Mart has donated seed money for holiday decorations around town. In 2018, Wal-Mart pledged seed money to start a landscaping project and add Christmas lights to our welcome sign.”

The grant from Entergy paid for the thousands of lights that illuminated the downtown area.

“We wanted to have some lights on the opposite side of the interstate, as well, so when visitors and residents exited the interstate, the display would be one of the first things they see,” said Matheny.

Other improvements to the area include light-up wreaths for eight of the light poles around the downtown area, the money for which was raised by the Hernando Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber was able to raise money for half of the city’s 16 historic poles and worked alongside Whitfield Electric to provide electricity to the wreaths, in addition to putting up the tree.

Other community partners for this event included the City of Hernando, DeSoto Board of Supervisors, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department, Hernando Civic Garden Club, Hernando Lions Club and many more.

Cedar Hill Farm Easter Egg Hunt Cedar Hill Farm – Hernando Get your picture taken with the Easter bunny, visit the petting farm and hunt for Easter eggs. Purchase homemade fudge or fresh donuts in the country kitchen. 662-429-2540 gocedarhillfarm.com Hernando Farmers Market Courthouse Square – Hernando Held each Saturday, April – September from 8am to 1pm on the town square and featuring farm fresh local produce, dairy products, baked goods, canned goods, and artisan crafts. 662-429-9092 cityofhernando.org/ farmersmarket/ Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maize Cedar Hill Farm – Hernando Open daily late September through early November. Pick-your-own pumpkins, get lost in the “Corn Maize” and enjoy a petting zoo, pony rides, Chicken Show and hayrides. Experience the “Corn Maize” turned haunted on Friday and Saturday nights along with the Haunted Hayride and Trail of Terror. 662-429-2540 gocedarhillfarm.com April Mudbug Bash Panola Street on the Square – Hernando All the crawfish and trimmings one can eat; silent and live auction and samplings from area restaurants. This event benefits the Palmer Home for Children. 662-449-2400 palmerhome.org Confederate Memorial Service Hernando Memorial Cemetery – Hernando Honor those who died for the Confederate states during the Civil War on the last Sunday in April. Mississippi’s second oldest Confederate monument, located at the cemetery, was erected in 1875. 662-393-4448 May A’Fair Courthouse Square On the third Thursday in May over 200 art, craft and food vendors converge on the historic courthouse square. A’Fair features live music, kid’s activities, a 5K race/ walk, and prize drawings! 662-280-8875 hernandooptimist.org June Summer Library Program First Regional Library – Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven, Walls Concerts, magicians, wildlife and more. Celebrate the summer with special events hosted by DeSoto County’s local libraries! 662-429-4439 firstregional.org Sunset on the Square - Summer Concert Series Courthouse Square – Hernando Thursday’s in June from 7:00pm9:00pm Hernando’s “Sunset on the Square” Summer Concert series promises a fun-filled evening of music for the whole family. 662-429-9055 hernandoms.org Picnic and Parade Around the Square Courthouse Square – Hernando Kids decorate their bikes, scooters or other non-motorized vehicles in patriotic colors and parade around the square in Hernando. 662-280-8875 hernandooptimist.org July Hernando Independence Day Celebration! Hernando Civic Center Baseball Fields. Bring your lawn chair for a night of entertainment. Food, Bands, Fireworks Spectacular! cityofhernando.org and 662-429-9095. Senior Fun Day Luncheon with fun games and prizes for our Seniors. Join us at the Gale Center. For more information please contact our Parks & Recreation. 662-429-2688 hernandoparks.org