Christkindlmarkt, hosted by ArtsQuest, is a staple in the Lehigh Valley for celebrating the holiday season with its inclusion of local businesses, traditional Christmas goodies, and authentic German decorations. The market’s annual appeal is its commitment to honoring the people of Bethlehem and providing a place that centers community joy during the Christmas season.
With its start in 1993, Christkindlmarkt created a space for holiday celebration in the Lehigh Valley that allowed locals and tourists alike to revel in the Christmas spirit, check off items on their Christmas shopping lists, and support the local economy. Importantly, Bethlehem Christkindlmarkt opened during the decline of Bethlehem Steel, which ultimately ceased steelmaking in the 1990s. With the end of Bethlehem Steel, the local economy suffered and many people lost jobs. The creation of Christkindlmarkt, inspired by the success of Bethlehem’s Musikfest, worked to create a winter market that attracted tourists to help support struggling local businesses. Because of its success, Christkindlmarkt became an annual event, and has since been nationally recognized. In 2024 the market was awarded the 4th place spot as one of the best Christmas markets in the United States by USA Today.
In 2024, Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt was larger than ever. Spanning across the Steelstacks Campus, the market had four large tents filled with vendors, food, and seating, as well as an outdoor area lined with food trucks and additional businesses. Christkindlmarkt’s success can be marked by its inclusion of vendors from across the country in addition to local businesses. Walking through Christkindlmarkt 2024, visitors were initially met with rows and rows of vendor stalls with crowds of customers streaming in and out of them. The main tent focused primarily on holiday themed items such as winter clothing, Christmas decorations, ornaments, and household goods. Visitors also came across Käthe Wohlfahrt, a nationally recognized Christmas decor shop known for its handcrafted items and authentic German style. Käthe Wohlfahrt is one of the biggest draws to the market in Bethlehem, and can often be seen with a line forming just outside its entrance. The items within embody a traditional Christmas aesthetic with a focus on Nutcrackers and glass ornaments in red, green, and gold.
Exiting the main tent at Christkindlmarkt in 2024 brought guests to an outdoor section that reached towards the stacks themselves. In this area, the smell of warm coffee and cider and poutine wafted through the air. In the plaza closest to the steel stacks there was a large Christmas tree (perfect for photo ops!) and vendor stalls built to look like cottages. The center of the plaza additionally had seating inside of igloo-like domes that trap heat inside and provided guests with a chance to warm up while still enjoying the winter scenery. Christkindlmarkt’s outdoor space also had live ice sculpting and invited guests to watch a block of ice be transformed into a beautiful piece of art.
In addition to the main vendor tent, there were two other, smaller, vendor tents as well as a food tent. The tent in the back of Christkindlmarkt had one long row of vendors, and focused less on holiday goods and more on a variety of local businesses. In this tent, visitors could find locally brewed liquor, traditional German stroopwafels, and beautiful glass blown figures. Interestingly, this tent also hosted a glass blowing performance. Much like the ice sculpting show, visitors could grab a seat and watch as glass-blown figures were created. Aside from the beautiful German-style decor and Christmas ornaments, the largest attraction at Christkindlmarkt was the food. A variety of vendors and restaurants offered traditional German food including bratwurst, potato pancakes, strudel, and much more. While this tent was typically jam-packed, it thoughtfully had tables set up in the middle, providing a space for people to rest and enjoy their food after making their ways through the crowds and vendors.
While being a space for adults to shop, mingle, eat, and drink, Christkindlmarkt also offered plenty for children of all ages to do. Sponsored by Crayola and Just Born Quality Confections, children were able to meet and take pictures with St. Nicholas. In addition, Christkindlmarkt also invited children and their families to begin their day by having breakfast with St. Nicholas. After this breakfast children were then able to participate in a holiday themed craft. The craft changed each week, encouraging families to revisit the market throughout the 2024 holiday season. Once guests had finished their activities within the market itself, they were able to visit the ice rink at Levitt Pavilion. The combination of these activities ensured that each member of the family could have a full, enjoyable experience.
Christkindlmarkt’s importance lies in its ability to consistently bring the Lehigh Valley community together, while also attracting tourists who help boost the local economy for the holiday season. The market achieves success each year, and continues to think of innovative ways to celebrate the holiday season, which we can look forward to for the upcoming 2025 Christmas season. With so much to do and enjoy, next year’s market will surely be a hit.
To find out more about Bethlehem Christkindlmarkt, visit Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem — SteelStacks.
