Christkindlmarket is a Christmas market held annually at Daley Plaza in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The festival attracts more than 1 million visitors each year.
The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest first held Chicago's Christkindlmarket on Pioneer Court in 1996.[1][2] Christkindlmarket was inspired by the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany. In 1997, Mayor Daley requested that the festival be moved to Daley Plaza.[2] That year the market attracted more than 750,000 visitors.[2] By 1999, the Christkindlmarket had become part of the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.[2] In recent years, Chicago's Christkindlmarket has become the largest Christmas market in the United States, hosting well over 1 million visitors annually.[2] In 2016, Christkindlmarket expanded to the Chicago suburb of Naperville.[3] Four years later, a virtual market took place. In 2023, the Christkindlmarket also took place in Aurora, Illinois, and Wrigleyville.[4] That year, they ran out of mugs.[5]
The market is situated by a large Christmas tree at Daley Plaza and also houses a small nativity scene.[6] The site features entertainment from Christmas choirs, dance groups, and brass bands.[2] It also houses a Santa house.[2] At the site beer, wine, baked goods, meats, toys, holiday ornaments, and other Christmas decorations are sold by vendors from Germany, Ukraine, Austria, and the Chicago metropolitan area.[2]
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