Christkindlmarkt in Carmel Indiana

Having visited Germany this past spring, I’m excited to experience a taste of Deutschland right here in Indiana this holiday season!

Carmel, Indiana will once again host it’s Christkindlmarket starting November 16. If you live in the Midwest, you can experience a German Christmas Market without hopping on a plane overseas!

This year marks the 3rd annual Carmel Christkindlmarkt. And it is fast becoming an annual holiday tradition for many Hoosier families.

What is a Christkindlmarkt?

A Christkindlmarkt is a street market that originated in Germany to celebrate Christmas during the 4 weeks of Advent. These markets include a variety of traditional food and drink, crafts, and entertainment.

No matter what your nationality, there is something for everyone to love at Carmel Christkindlmarkt!

Take the whole family, go with friends, or make it a date night to remember this holiday season. Keep reading to find out what you can expect at Carmel Christkindlmarkt and see all the fun we had at last year’s event.

Yummy Treats

For us, the food is a big highlight of Carmel Christkindlmarkt. There are so many tasty treats and not enough room in our bellies, so we usually need to make more than one trip over the holiday season to enjoy all the traditional foods offered.

For the adults, Glühwein is a must! This spiced warm wine is tasty and helps keep you warm as you wander the many festively decorated booths at the market.

The large German Pyramid near the stage sells a variety of flavored Glühwein.  How about some Baked Apple Mulled Wine or maybe the Egg Mulled Wine will be your favorite? There are even non-alcoholic options to choose from.

Fill up a 2019 collectible boot mug with piping hot Glühwein, and you will have a warm belly and a fun souvenir.

Prost! (Cheers!)

If the kids need some extra warmth, grab a cup of hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream. Yum!

As soon as my daughters saw the crepe booth last year, they knew they had to enjoy one of these sweet treats. They wanted to see if these crepes were as good as the ones we had in Paris last spring. And the girls were not disappointed! We all enjoyed watching the edible masterpieces being made on the hot griddle and then indulging in the ooey-gooey goodness.

Both the nutella and peppermint fudge versions were quite tasty…and messy! Given how large the crepes were, the girls even shared some with me!

Another tasty treat that is also fun to watch can be found at the Raclette Chalet.

Raclette, a semi-hard wheel of cheese, melts and bubbles to golden perfection on a metal contraption and is then scraped off onto a large piece of toasty bread.

Or how about a walking waffle?? I was a bit skeptical of a waffle without syrup. I mean, isn’t the syrup the best part? But then I sampled this Belgium inspired walking waffle, and I was convinced.

This is a delicious sweet treat…no syrup required!

While we focused more on the sweet treats, many savory German favorites can also be found at Carmel Christkindlmarkt. So do your taste buds a favor and add this event to your holiday itinerary this year and come hungry!

Unique Gifts and Holiday Decor

The consummate shopper, I love seeing the variety of authentic German items available for sale. If you are looking for a unique gift for someone on your holiday shopping list, you will find plenty of options at Carmel Christkindlmarkt.

Maybe an ornate beer stein for your favorite uncle who enjoys a good beer from time to time.

For grandma, consider one of the many traditional wood-crafted items or an intricate lace ornament to brighten up her Christmas decor.

And if you are looking to add a Nutcracker to your holiday display, you will find an amazing variety of these festive figures at Carmel Christkindlmarkt.

Many other crafts and creations can be found at Carmel Christkindlmarkt from advent calendars to ornaments to incense burners to dishware.

Take some time to browse the many wooden stalls, and strike up a conversation with the vendors. You may learn a thing or two about German holiday customs. And take home a unique find for someone on your Christmas list…or yourself!

Festive Entertainment

You will see several people dressed in traditional German clothing sharing their customs and traditions with attendees.

Last year, this lovely woman tried to help me learn how to say Merry Christmas in German. I will admit my grasp of the German language is severely lacking!

FROHE WEIHNACHTEN! (Merry Christmas!)

On the stage, you can watch a variety of skilled musicians and other artists sharing their craft.

The traditional music adds to the overall holiday ambiance, and you will soon forget that you are still in the Midwest. The alphorn is not an instrument you see every day.

Last year one of the musicians had his alphorn near the skating rink and let people give it a try. Listening to novices attempt to play the alphorn was enough to convince me that mastering this instrument takes some serious skill and practice!

Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy a visit to the Kinderecke to watch wood-working demonstrations and participate in family activities.

Last year we were enthralled as we observed Christian Werner create wooden toys through the art of woodturning. We marveled at his handiwork and even created our own wooden souvenir to take home.

The centerpiece of Carmel Christkindlmarkt is the ice skating rink. While we decided not to don skates last year, we did enjoy simply watching the skaters as we warmed ourselves by a fire pit.

On the rink, you will see first-timers as well as skilled skaters. Friends, couples, and families all seemed to be enjoying their time on the ice. Both when they were upright and when then went splat on the ice for all to see!

What You Need to Know

Location: 10 Center Green in Carmel, Indiana, between the Palladium and the Tarkington Theater

Dates and Hours: The market is open for the 2019 season from November 16-December 24. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (and Thanksgiving Day). Wednesday and Thursday hours are from 4-9 pm. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday it is open from 12-9 pm.

Cost: The event itself is free, and there is free parking along the street or in the adjacent parking garage. This makes it easy to come and go as you please and make several visits during the season. But do bring some cash or a credit card to pay for food, gifts, and skating. Skating is a bit pricey at $10 to skate (just $8 for age 10 and under) and $4 to rent skates…but you will make some priceless memories on the picturesque rink! Get more details and make an online reservation here.

Special Reminder: Dress warm!  The entire event is outdoors, and this is Indiana…and it is winter! They will have several fire pits and heaters throughout the event so spend some time warming your hands by the fire.  And grab a glass of Glühwein to warm your insides!

Plan your visit to Carmel Christkindlmarkt today, before the holiday season is over!

Have you visited a Christkindlmarkt in the United States or abroad? Comment below to share your experience.

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

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