A Carmel Christmas

Indulge in a top-rated, German-style holiday market in central Indiana

This holiday season, Indiana residents and visitors can experience the festive charm of traditional German markets in the Hoosier State. Named USA Today readersโ€™ top U.S. holiday market in 2021, the Christkindlmarkt in Carmel, Indiana, offers 50 wooden huts of classic Weihnacht fun.

At the outdoor holiday market, open Nov. 19-Dec. 30, visitors can explore a mix of traditional German foods, drinks, and gifts. Foodies will enjoy a wide selection of German specialty sausages and hand-rolled pretzels. Chefs melt a large block of cheese for raclette sandwiches and scrape it onto bread and charcuterie.

The Gluฬˆhwein Pyramid โ€” a 33-foot-tall decoration covered in more than 3,000 Christmaslights but, sadly, no drinks โ€” contains several mulled wine and German beer flavors. Indiana-based Bier Brewery has a special Christkindlmarkt beer: a malty, German-style Dunkelweizen.

The Christkindlmarkt is a perfect opportunity for holiday gift shopping and collecting German trinkets. Several vendors even sell Hoosier-themed bier steins and mugs.

Children can craft and color in the Kinderecke, or kidsโ€™ corner. Sankt Nikolaus (St. Nicholas) and Christkind (the traditional gift-bearer) also make appearances, along with other holiday characters.

For a few dollars, take to the ice on an outdoor skating rink, just like at the picturesqueChristkindlmarkts in Munich, Germany, and Vienna, Austria. Canโ€™t visit the Ice at Carter Green for a 90-minute skating session? Watch the ice rink come to life in real-time on a live stream.

With nearly double the vendors at this yearโ€™s Christkindlmarkt, this Indiana holiday staple is at the top of our new traditions list.

WHEN YOU GO

Carmel Christkindlmarkt

10 Carter Green, Carmel, IN

Nov. 19-Dec.30 4-9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Sunday

Admission is free. Pets are not allowed.

(317) 559-6608

carmelchristkindlmarkt.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CARMEL CHRISTKINDLMARKT

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Maggie Valenti
Maggie Valenti
Maggie Valenti joined Tucker Publishing Group in September 2022 as a staff writer. She graduated from Gettysburg College in 2020 with a bachelors degree in English. A Connecticut native, Maggie has ridden horses for 15 years and has hunt seat competition experience on the East Coast.

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