Carmel Christkindlmarkt

For nearly six weeks each year, beginning just before Thanksgiving and ending on Christmas Eve, the Carter Green next to central Indiana’s Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts turns into a magical holiday experience with the arrival of the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. 

Patterned after the traditional German Christmas markets of Nuremberg, Dresden, Munich and Berlin, this immersive cultural event has become a beloved regional holiday tradition since launching in 2017. The family-friendly festival attracts more than 250,000 guests over the course of its yearly run, averaging a daily attendance of 10,000 visitors.

Framing a public ice-skating rink, rows of outdoor vendor huts stock a selection of items for sale that include everything from beer steins, cuckoo clocks and nutcrackers to Christmas ornaments, porcelain figurines and lacy linens. You’re guaranteed to work up an appetite while shopping, with the sweet and savory scents of gingerbread, cinnamon-spiced roasted nuts, melty raclette cheese, all manner of wursts, hot chocolate and other food wafting through the air. The Glühwein pyramid — a soaring, slowly spinning 33 foot-tall Weihnachtspyramide — acts as the showy landmark centerpiece of the event, serving mulled wine in collectible boot-shaped mugs along with pints of German beer to ward off any chill. 

Live music, glassblowing and woodworking demonstrations, activities for kids, a 5K walk/run and appearances by Christkind, an angelic gift-bringer from German tradition, round out the full market experience Plus, the Spielhaus (the market’s playhouse), offers kid-friendly entertainment and chances to meet the performers. This year brings the addition of a free satellite parking lot with complimentary shuttle service to the main entrance, making for easier access to the festival. 10 Carter Green, Carmel, Indiana 46032, 317/559-6608, carmelchristkindlmarkt.com