The church is located at 200 Batchelor Avenue, in downtown Enfield.
The artisan fair – featuring the work of local artisans cake-makers, beekeepers, potters, wreath-makers – will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

(For more information about the house tour or the day’s events, contact Suzann McKiernan Anderson at 252-445-2234.)

The featured speaker, Jeff Dickens, local historian and member of Historical Restoration Association, will present a free lecture in the church sanctuary at 11 a.m.
Dickens will be wearing Colonial costume.
The topic of his lecture will be People, Places and Relics of Colonial Enfield.
Dickens is a Halifax County native and several sides of his family go back to Colonial times in Halifax County.
He has lived on the family farm for 35 years with Sylvia, his wife. They have three daughters and two sons-in-law as well as four grandchildren.
The farm has been in the family since the mid-1700s.
Dickens graduated from Enfield Academy and attended Chowan University.
Local history is a lifelong passion and it has led him to become involved in many different historical organizations.
He is the commander of the General Matt W. Ransom Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp in Weldon and a member of the Halifax County Historical Society. He is also on the Halifax County Committee to restore the Joseph Montfort Amphitheater in Historic Halifax.
In addition, Dickens is the vice-president of the Historical Halifax Restoration Association, where he led the efforts to relocate the Bradford-Denton House from the Enfield vicinity to Historic Halifax. He is also the project manager overseeing the restoration of the 1760 era gambrel roof house, which now sits adjacent to the Masonic Lodge in Halifax.
Dickens retired from farming and now spends his time researching local history and presenting programs to various organizations throughout the state.
He also collects and preserves local historical artifacts and ephemera and has assisted several families, whose roots are in Halifax County, with reunions and gathering historical information.

Homes tour

This year, along with all the other events, DERP is sponsoring its fourth Christmas Homes Tour, which will showcase the town’s architecture and highlight Enfield’s history.
The house tour costs $25 — $20 for seniors.
Advance tickets can be purchased on DERP’s website. Tickets can be bought the day of the event at the church, but sales are limited to 300.
The house tour on Saturday will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.
The Historic Episcopal Church of the Advent will hold an Evening Prayer Service on Saturday at 6 p.m. All are invited. Charles Harris will be performing on the organ – an Odell Tracker of 17 voices.

Revitalization

Enfield’s downtown is currently undergoing revitalization, but the town’s history goes back to Colonial days.
Enfield was founded in 1740, making it the oldest town in Halifax County and tied with Wilmington for the fifth oldest town in North Carolina.
Once called Huckleberry Swamp, the town played an important role in American Independence. The Enfield Riots encouraged Willie Jones and other leaders of North Carolina to push for independence from England through the Halifax Resolves of April 12, 1776, which was the first formal document in the United States to officially advocate breaking away from England. Celebrating Colonial history is Enfield’s way of recognizing the town’s deep roots to liberty and independence.