You don’t need a passport to have a traditional Christmas market experience. Christmas markets are a holiday tradition from Europe brought over to the U.S. by immigrants who moved across the Atlantic. Today, cities and towns across the country host holiday markets inspired by those of Germany, complete with traditional food, music and holiday treats.
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Old World Christmas Market
Elkhart Lake, Wis.
This holiday season marks the 21st installment of the Old World Christmas Market in Elkhart Lake. This annual event takes place at The Osthoff Resort, where for 10 days, visitors can shop for specialty items in heated tents, munch on bratwurst and roasted almonds, sip hot glühwein and visit with Father Christmas.
Photo courtesy of The Osthoff Resort / Facebook
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Georgetown Christmas Market
Georgetown, Colo.
For two weekends each December, visitors to Colorado can take a break from skiing for a visit to the Georgetown Christmas Market. The aroma of roasted chestnuts fills the air of this charming and historic mountain town, while visitors enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, visits with St. Nick, carolers in Victorian garb and a procession of Saint Lucia staged daily.
Photo courtesy of Historic Georgetown
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Christmas Village in Philadelphia
Philadelphia
This holiday season, Philadelphia's Love Park will once again host a German-style Christmas market. Christmas Village in Philadelphia includes more than 80 tradition wooden booths where international vendors will sell ornaments, hand-crafted gifts, jewelry and traditional German treats, like mulled wine, bratwurst, gingerbread and waffles. It's a perfect setting for a holiday photo op with the iconic LOVE statue, located right at the heart of the market.
Photo courtesy of J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA
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Denver Christkindl Market
Denver
The Mile High City celebrates the season with its annual Denver Christkindl Market. The festival at Skyline Park will feature vendors from Colorado and Europe, traditional German music, holiday tunes and foods prepared by a European-trained chef. It's a perfect place to pick up unique holiday gifts, like German beer steins, handmade jewelry, cashmere scarves, German lace, chocolate and seasonal decorations.
Photo courtesy of Denver Christkindl Market
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Christkindlmarkt
Bethlehem, Penn.
It's only fitting that a town named Bethlehem would have a stellar Christmas festival. This Pennsylvania town, nicknamed Christmas City, celebrates the season with an old world-style Christkindlmarkt. Visitors can shop from more than 150 vendors, enjoy live performances, visit St. Nicholas or attend workshops and demonstrations in ice carving, glassblowing and ornament-making.
Photo courtesy of ArtsQuest / Christkindlmarkt
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The Great Dickens Christmas Fair
San Francisco
Visitors to San Francisco over the holiday season are transported back in time to the London of Charles Dickens during the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Several acres of exhibition halls become Victorian-era pubs, streets, alleys and dance halls where guests can watch live entertainment on seven stages, munch on fish 'n' chips and do some holiday shopping. Victorian costumes are encouraged.
Photo courtesy of Rich Yee / Great Dickens Christmas Fair
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Texas Christkindl Market
Arlington, Texas
Inspired by the holiday markets of Germany, Texas Christkindl Market brings one of the largest open-air holiday markets in the Southwest to Arlington, Texas. In addition to shopping and and tasting traditional German treats, market-goers can listen to local school choirs and Texas musicians, watch traditional German dance or attend a gingerbread making workshop.
Photo courtesy of Texas Christkindl Market
The top 10 winners in the Best Holiday Market category are as follows:
- Old World Christmas Market - Elkhart Lake, Wis.
- Georgetown Christmas Market - Georgetown, Colo.
- Christmas Village in Philadelphia - Philadelphia
- Denver Christkindl Market - Denver
- Christkindlmarkt - Bethlehem, Penn.
- The Great Dickens Christmas Fair - San Francisco
- Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park - New York
- Christkindlmarket Chicago - Chicago
- Downtown Holiday Market - Washington, DC
- Texas Christkindl Market - Arlington, Texas
Congratulations to all these winning markets!
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10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
