It was a positively Dickensian day in the Village of Port Jefferson today as crowds of people dressed in both modern and Victorian clothing gathered for a holiday tradition: the 18th annual Charles Dickens Festival.

The weekend-long celebration of the author behind "A Christmas Carol" was in full swing today as a spectacular horse-drawn carriage wound its way through the village.

Children toasted marshmallows over bonfires on the sidewalks, and characters like weavers and the village smithy showed visitors some tricks of their trades. Carolers and soot-covered chimney sweeps wandered the streets as well.

The festivities will draw to a close on Sunday evening with the annual parade. All of the events, which take months of preparations, are produced by the Greater Port Jefferson and Northern Brookhaven Arts Council.