Chicago Hot Blog

For the 13th year in a row, Daley Plaza will be hosting Chicago Christkindlmarket 2008 (aka Kringle Market), a traditional German Christmas Market, from November 27th to December 24th, 2008. Christkindlmarket 2008 will feature handmade gifts including ornaments, candles, woodcarvings, cuckoo-clocks, European chocolates, beer steins, toys, glass blown items and toys.

Featuring more than 50 vendors, Chicago Christkindlmarket 2008 will include both gift and food vendors. Traditional treats include hot cider, hot chocolate and spiced wine - with many German Christmas Market favorites such as bratwurst, schnitzel, strudel, potato pancakes and more. Kringle Market has been a holiday tradition in Chicago for 13 years and would be a great experience for anyone wanting to get out in the city during the season.

Christkindlmarket also provides a great opportunity to view Chicago’s 2008 Christmas Tree and Santa Claus at Daley Plaza.

Christkindlmarket is located at the intersection of Washington and Dearborn. Christkindlmarket is open Nov 22-Dec 24; Sun-Thur 11am-8pm; Fri-Sat 11am-9pm;

Christkindlemart 2008

I had the opportunity to go to the Christkindlmarket and wanted to relay some information. As with most attractions of this sort, I went on a weekend and it was very packed. The place is a bit of a maze, and it is shoulder-to-shoulder people. We stopped in and had some Bratwurst ($6 each) and Lentil Soup, then poked around the shops for a while. The shops featured all sorts of German crafts, as well as items from other countries. Some shopping is indoors, but those areas are even more packed, with people being herded in one direction. It’s my recommendation that if you are going to go to the Christkindlmarket, you go during the week.