Charles Dickens' characters come alive in a Dutch town enamored with the English author

DEVENTER, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch city of Deventer transformed Saturday into a pocket of 19th-century England, with 950 people in costumes bringing characters from Charles Dickens’ books to life.

Oliver Twist, Ebeneezer Scrooge and Miss Havisham were among the characters at hand, mingling with chimney sweepers, livestock and Christmas carol singers in Deventer’s historic center. Onlookers bowed when Queen Victoria passed through.

Merchants peddle antiques and gingerbread, while people portraying pickpockets try to avoid being tossed in a mock Marshalsea Prison.

The town's link to Dickens is Emmy Strik, who started the weekend-long festival to protest rules against keeping her antique shop open on Sunday. Strik and other shopowners dressed up in the 19th-century England costumes and walked out on the streets. The protest evolved into an annual festival and Strik, now 84, has collected more than 1,000 Dickensian costumes for the event.

Organizers enforce the dress code strictly — no clothes or accessories from after the 1800s.

Sandra Nieland, playing the queen, described her costume to The Associated Press: “In her younger years, she was, of course, a beautiful queen. And in her older years, she was mourning her husband, Albert and, well, she was always in black and not (wearing) too much stuff. Just her rings. ... She always wore a lot of rings.”

It’s the 32nd edition of the festival, which attracts some 100,000 visitors each year from around the Netherlands and abroad, according to the town organizers. That means big crowds, who line up to enter the narrow streets.

Amateur street actor Stef Jongbloed reveled in the festive energy. In addition to specific characters, he said, “you also have so many people that just dress up just for fun and just walk around here the entire day. Also doing it together is what makes it so amazing.”