Carmel Christkindlmarkt opens for 2023 season
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Carmel — the annual Christkindlmarkt returns for the season this Saturday.
The holiday market brings tons of German traditions and products, along with an ice rink to Carter Green. According to organizers, visitors can shop at about 60 different vendors.
Maria Murphy, the market’s CEO, says there are plenty of new features to check out this year.
“One that I would like to highlight is we have these little round barrels that you can go inside and there’s a table inside,” Murphy said. “It’s like a little hobbit house. You feel like Frodo should be in there. So, it’s a lot of fun. There’s so much to explore at the market.”
Food options range from savory items like pretzels and bratwurst to sweet like waffles and strudel.
Joe Burns is the owner of the Baked Cheese Haus, which features raclette, a type of cheese that is melted and then scraped onto a sandwich or a potato.
Based in Wisconsin, he’s been coming to Carmel for the Christkindlmarkt since its inception in 2017.
“iI’s really become just a staple of the community,” Burns said. “Everybody comes out, supports the market, gets their favorite treat, gets their favorite merchandise. You can just see all the fun families and friends are having together.”
People can expect a variety of drinks too. There will be German mulled wine and beer on tap. Non-alcoholic choices are available too like hot chocolate and coffee.
Rachel Priddy is the owner of Rose and Lois, a local cafe that sells hot drinks and pastries at the market.
“My dad actually used to go to this German place and they had apple dumplings and hot cocoa,” Priddy said. “That’s what we’re doing here.”
The event also hosts craft vendors like Vogel German Lace, which sells lace ornaments made by artisans. Owner Elizabeth Meek says she’s been to Germany to study how her supplier makes the products.
“These lace ornaments come from the area of Germany called the Plauen area,” Meek said “This area has been making lace by machine since the early 1800s.”
Christkindlmarkt will also host several special events like a 5k race and a talent show. A slew of ‘Werkstatt’ or artisans from Germany are scheduled to make appearances showing off their crafts from glassblowing to sculpting.
For a full schedule of special events and ‘Werkstatt’ appearances visit the market’s website.
2023 Carmel Christkindlmarkt Cours
- Monday – Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Thursday: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday: Noon – 9 p.m.
- Sunday: Noon – 8 p.m.
This year’s market runs from Nov. 18 to Christmas Eve. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Nov. 23.