Carmel Christkindlmarkt opens for 2023 season

Carmel, Indiana – In Carmel, it’s starting to look a lot like Christmas since this Saturday marks the return of the annual Christkindlmarkt.

Carter Green gets an ice rink and a plethora of German customs and goods thanks to the winter market. About sixty different merchants will be available for shoppers, according to the organizers.

The CEO of the market, Maria Murphy, claims that there are a lot of new things to explore 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.”

Savory foods like bratwurst and pretzels are available, as well as sweet foods like strudel and waffles.

Raclette is a sort of cheese that is melted and then scraped onto a sandwich or potato. Joe Burns is the owner of the Baked Cheese Haus.

He travels to Carmel for the Christkindlmarkt every year since it began in 2017 and is based in Wisconsin.

“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.”

There will also be a selection of refreshments available. German beer and mulled wine will be available on tap. There are also non-alcoholic options, such as coffee and hot chocolate.

Rose and Lois is a neighborhood café run by Rachel Priddy that serves pastries and hot beverages 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.”

Additionally, there are craft sellers at the event, such as Vogel German Lace, which offers handcrafted lace ornaments. Owner Elizabeth Meek claims to have traveled to Germany to observe the manufacturing process used by her supplier.

“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.