Holiday Spectacular Christkindlmarket Chicago Celebrates 18 Years

Once a year, Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago transforms into a European holiday village filled with candy cane striped wooden huts and twinkling lights that harkens back to the traditional holiday market in Nuremberg, Germany. The magical atmosphere of the Christkindlmarket Chicago returns to Daley Plaza for its 18th year, opening its doors from November 26 until December 24, 2013.

Since 1996, German American Services, Inc., a subsidiary of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc., has hosted one of the largest traditional Christmas markets outside of Europe. More than 65% of the vendors travel from Germany to Chicago each year to share their culture and holiday traditions. Visitors have plenty of opportunity to not only practice their German language skills but also to learn more about German culture without having to travel to Europe. With free admission, it comes as no surprise that this event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from the greater Chicagoland area, the nation, and from around the world.

The Christkindlmarket Chicago is host to over 50 vendors boasting one-of-a-kind offerings that are destined to become treasured gifts for loved ones of all ages. The vendors’ traditional wooden huts are filled with holiday ornaments of all colors, materials and sizes, nutcrackers, cuckoo-clocks, beer steins, wooden toys, jewelry, wood carvings, and European sweets and treats. The market also has various heated walk-in cabins that offer a cozy place to shop for unique gifts. The Grand Timber House and Festival Tent provide visitors a place to warm up, relax, sit down, and enjoy a place to eat and drink.

The air at the Christkindlmarket is filled with aromas of holiday spices, sweets and treats. German delicacies such as sausages, potato pancakes, and schnitzel sizzle at every corner of the market and the aroma of the traditional holiday goods like stollen, strudel, pretzels, and roasted nuts seize the senses. Visitors can enjoy an abundance of delicious fare and quench their thirst with a refreshing imported German beer or warm up with a cup of Glühwein (hot spiced wine), which is served in a unique collectable souvenir mug.

Throughout the 29-day event, the Christkindlmarket hosts live entertainment and performances. School groups, professional singers, and dance groups perform for the delight of the visitors. On weekends, the roaming Alpine Brass band, playing festive German traditional and popular holiday music, is sure to stir and awaken the spirit of the season in all. Special events include appearances by the Christkind, the namesake and symbol of the market, the annual Children’s Lantern Parade, which celebrates St. Martin’s Day, and the Alpine Trio that plays upbeat tunes Friday and Saturday evenings in the Festival Tent and Grand Timber House. One of the most popular events is the daily Advent Calendar starting December 1st. One lucky visitor gets to open a door on the larger-than-life 6 ft. tall Advent Calendar, featuring a different gift from one of the market’s vendors each day.

The popular “Kinder Korner” boasts fun activities geared towards the younger visitors. Ornamental paper crowns are handed out and the Christkindlmarket Passport, which includes passport stamping stations, coloring pages, riddles, a scavenger hunt, and much more, gives children and the young at heart the opportunity to explore the market, interact with the vendors, and learn more about German holiday traditions.

Experience this unique holiday spectacle in the heart of downtown Chicago. The market will be open daily from 11am until 8pm Sundays through Thursdays, and until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. On Thanksgiving Day November 28, and Christmas Eve December 24, the market will close at 4pm. Admission is always FREE!

For more information, please contact us via email at info@christkindlmarket.com or telephone at (312) 494-2175. Visit the official website at www.christkindlmarket.com. High resolution photos and HD video are available upon request.

The German American Services, Inc. has been organizing the Christkindlmarket, the largest traditional Christmas market outside of Europe, since 1996.

German American Services, Inc.
Chicago, IL 60654
Morgan Kingsland
ckm@gasinc.org
312-494-2175

This release was published on openPR.