History of Christkindlmarkt

Each Christmas season, towns, villages and cities throughout Germany host festive outdoor markets known as Christkindlmarkts.

Dating back to medieval times, Christkindlmarkt begins with the start of Advent and run through Christmas Eve, uniting the community in a celebration of the holiday season. While each Christkindlmarkt is unique, they all feature food and drink, holiday ornaments and plenty of handcrafted gifts.

It’s in this age-old tradition that Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem was established in downtown Bethlehem in 1993 by ArtsQuest. Started to complement the holiday celebration that already existed in the city, the event has grown steadily and is now considered one of the premier holiday attractions in the Northeastern United States. In 2007, Travel and Leisure Magazine named Christkindlmarkt one of the top holiday markets in the world.

Each year, more than 60,000 visitors from near and far travel to Christkindlmarkt to enjoy its ambiance, live music, food and unique shopping experience. This holiday season, we hope you’ll join the many who have discovered the magic of this enchanting holiday marketplace.