Nevada City's throwback street faire, Victorian Christmas, is a Gold Country tradition

CHESTNUTS? The nutty and flavorful crunchers do have a way of showing up in so many special holiday dishes, from velvety soups to filling casseroles to merry meals centered around stuffing or acorn squashes. These goodies have plenty of wintry oomph, with the chestnut's deep tones upping that hearty character, but sometimes we do long to nibble on something nutty while strolling through an alfresco celebration, the kind of ye-olden-tymes to-do that feels more Dickens than a story starring Scrooge. Fulfilling our chestnut-forward proclivities is Victorian Christmas, one of Nevada City's biggest bashes and a Gold Country seasonal staple.

THE FOODS, SOUNDS, AND SIGHTS... of the throwback era may now be admired on select December Wednesdays and Sundays, with a 2023 conclusion on Dec. 17. Booths brimming with all sorts of artisanal goods, carolers in top hats and bustles, Santa in his old-fashioned apparel, and the beloved Walking Christmas Tree add to the street faire's holly-strewn aura, as does the fact that the chestnuts you're nibbling are free. Also upping the pip-pip party's general genial air? So many into-the-spirit attendees attend in full Victorian dress, with velvet capelets, lace-up boots, and pocketwatches making colorful, slightly steampunky cameos up and down beautiful Broad Street.

CHECK YOUR POCKETWATCH: Important to know, before you begin your (time) travels? Victorian Christmas is an evening affair on Wednesdays but enjoys an earlier-in-the-day window every Sunday of the 2023 run.