Here are the best festive European-style markets in the US. Jon Hicks/Getty Images
Nothing feels more like Christmas than wandering through a festive European-style market filled with artist booths, delicious treats and holiday cheer. But a few things can kill the holiday spirit, like flight delays, messy winter storms and jet lag.
Lucky for US residents, you don’t have to cross the Atlantic for that holiday cheer. From California to Rhode Island, the US is home to several European-style Christmas markets that feel as authentic as the originals that inspired them.
So go ahead and wander through a Danish-style holiday market in sunny Southern California. Check out a Dutch-style holiday market in Michigan, or choose from several markets that’ll make you feel like you’ve landed in festive Bavaria. There may be no better gift than the European holiday market experience without the cost and hassle of international flights.
1. Chicago, Illinois
Dates: November 22 to December 24, 2024
Walking through Chicago’s Christkindlmarket feels like walking through a holiday market in Germany. Stroll wooden booths selling arts and crafts while holiday music and the smell of roasting nuts fill the air. Sip on mulled wine served in a collectible mug, or grab a cozy cup of hot chocolate. Chicago’s outdoor Christmas market is inspired by 16th-century holiday markets in Nuremberg, with mulled wine and beers imported from Germany. Currywurst and kebabs taste just like they do in Berlin. There are a few things, however, that are sure to remind you that you’re in Chicago. The market is held in Daley Plaza, home of a Picasso sculpture that’s made appearances in movies including The Blues Brothers (1980), The Fugitive (1993), and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). There’s also a pierogi booth, a nod to Chicago’s Polish heritage.
2. Washington, DC
Dates: November 22 to December 23, 2024
This one-of-a-kind holiday market is in the heart of downtown Washington, DC. For 20 years, it’s been popping up just steps from the National Portrait Gallery, a Smithsonian Institution museum that’s free to visit. The open-air Downtown DC Holiday Market features more than 100 vendors and is one of the best holiday shopping destinations in the nation’s capital. Browse for jewelry, candles, gifts and clothing, or eat your way across this market. Sample the local barbecue at Old Blue Barbecue or grab a taco from the Roaming Coyote Taco food truck. If you’re still hungry afterward, stop for dinner at Jaleo, Zaytinya or Carmine’s, all of which are a short walk away. There’s no other holiday market in the US where you can walk among some of the most beloved art pieces in the country.
3. New York City, New York
Columbus Circle: December 3 to 31, 2024
Union Square: November 14 to December 24, 2024
Bryant Park: October 25, 2024, to January 5, 2025
New York is home to many holiday markets, and there’s no better place to do your Christmas shopping in the Big Apple – most notably at these three. Cap off a scenic stroll through Central Park with a visit to the Columbus Circle Holiday Market. This market – at the park’s southwest corner at Central Park West and 59th St – features more than 100 vendors and lots of tasty treats. There’s a different mix of vendors at the Union Square Holiday Market downtown. Visit both if you can, or choose the one closest to you if you can’t. There’s another holiday market in Midtown, the Winter Village at Bryant Park. This offers yet a different mix of vendors and is anchored by a picturesque outdoor ice-skating rink. Combine a visit to this market with a stop at the Bryant Park location of the New York Public Library.
4. Providence, Rhode Island
Dates: December 6 to 9 and December 13 to 15, 2024
Rhode Island’s capital city is home to the newest European-style holiday market in the US. The city’s inaugural Downcity PVD Holiday Market brings local retailers and artists together to make it easy to shop for locally-made holiday gifts like candles, jewelry, pottery and more. This year’s vendors include artists who make handmade pet accessories and handmade children’s stuffies. Nibble on a Liège-style sweet Belgian waffle while you shop, or stop at the hot chocolate bar and pile on your favorite toppings.
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dates: November 23 to December 24, 2024
Philadelphia may be the most underrated holiday destination in the US. Each winter, the city center transforms into a winter wonderland. JFK Plaza, the Center City park that’s home to Philadelphia’s iconic LOVE sculpture, becomes Christmas Village in Philadelphia, a vibrant open-air holiday market where the smell of bratwurst, waffles and mulled wine fills the air. Shop for even the pickiest person on your holiday list at one of the many artisan booths. This market is easy to get to whether you’re traveling on foot, by public transit or in your own vehicle, at just a 10-minute drive from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and a five-minute drive from the Independence Visitor Center, home to the historic Liberty Bell, so plan a perfect day in Philadelphia around a market visit. While you’re at Christmas Village, don’t miss the raclette or the schnitzel. Just follow your nose to find them.
6. Holland, Michigan
Dates: November 23 to December 21, 2024
Many US holiday markets take their inspiration from Germany, but this Michigan town – true to its name – draws its holiday market inspiration from the Netherlands. Kerstmarkt got its start in 1997 with just 10 booths, but now dozens of vendors set up shops here each year, with local farmers joining them on Saturdays. Like its German-inspired peers, Holland’s Kerstmarkt offers glühwein in collectible mugs, and there’s also a hot chocolate bar. Sip on your mulled wine or hot chocolate while watching a dog-sled demo – something that’s not so easy to find at other holiday markets.
7. Solvang, California
Dates: November 29, 2024, to January 5, 2025
There’s only one way to experience a Danish holiday market without the chill of a Danish winter. Head to Solvang in sunny Southern California for Julefest, a monthlong Danish-style holiday celebration. This event includes a tree lighting ceremony, parade and a citywide hunt for a mischievous gnome. Market nights are Wednesdays in December and feature booths from Danish-inspired artists.
8. Arlington, Texas
Dates: November 22 to December 23, 2024
Some things really are bigger in Texas. The Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington is one of them. This holiday market is the largest open-air holiday market in the Southwest. And if it feels like a taste of Germany, that’s because it is. Texas Christkindl Market is inspired by Arlington’s German sister city, Bad Königshofen, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a fairy-tale Bavarian village. Arlington’s market features artists from around the world, a holiday train and festive collectibles imported from Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s holiday market. Not having to lug your Bavarian holiday gifts around the world may be the best gift you can give yourself.
9. San Francisco, California
Dates: weekends from November 23 to December 22, 2024
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco is a rare market because it charges admission, but it’s also much more than just a European-inspired holiday market. Travel back in time at this immersive event and experience a holiday market in author Charles Dickens’ Victorian London. Don’t be surprised to run into Ebeneezer Scrooge, Father Christmas and other colorful characters while you’re shopping for art, clothing, jewelry and gifts. There are also events like corset fittings and chances to sample beer, port and chocolate.
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