With a name like Bethlehem, it’s only befitting that this quaint city in the Lehigh Valley of eastern Pennsylvania pays homage to Christmas in a big way. Welcome to the 33rd Annual Christkindlmarkt, an arts & crafts, food and entertainment extravaganza featuring over 170 artisans and crafters from 14 states along with the country of Scotland. So popular has Christkindlmarkt become that it attracted over 128,000 visitors last year. The event runs through Dec. 21.
Created by ArtsQuest and sponsored by Univest Financial, Christkindlmarkt has become a cherished part of the Lehigh Valley’s holiday traditions, with attendance reaching new heights year after year. ArtsQuest’s annual economic impact for 2024 was $143 million.
One of the largest and most-attended Christmas markets in the nation, Christkindlmarkt is ArtsQuest’s beloved German-inspired holiday market bringing the magic of a traditional European Christmas market to their historic SteelStacks campus each winter, and has become a cornerstone of the Lehigh Valley’s holiday season.
“It’s clear our community is ready for more,” says Curt Mosel, ArtsQuest Chief Operating Officer. “The new expansion, Winter Wonderland, allows us to enhance the guest experience while preserving the festive charm that makes Christkindlmarkt so special. It’s all about creating traditions.”
Winter Wonderland, presented by Lehigh Valley Health Network, transforms the area previously home to the ice-skating rink into an expanded holiday village. This new footprint allows Christkindlmarkt to expand while adding fresh experiences for guests, a good majority of whom return year after year.
LK Artistry has been bringing its popular, health-oriented skincare products to the event for five years now. “It’s become a tradition for us,” says co-owner Lawren Konschnik. “We’ve grown so much here, and it truly feels like being part of a holiday family. ArtsQuest creates real opportunities for local makers like myself, and being part of that mission means a lot to me. Getting to connect with people face-to-face, hear their stories and feel the impact our products have on them is what makes Christkindlmarkt one of my favorite parts of the year.” Top sellers include the Magnesium Dream Cream along with the Tallow & Shea Body Cream. She adds, “Customers come back each year for them, and they’ve really become our signature products at Christkindlmarkt.”
Want to experience something truly unique? In what has become a “must-try” attraction, Hot Glass Experiences affords guests the opportunity to work one-on-one with an ArtsQuest hot glass instructor to create their own piece of glass-blown art as a keepsake or special gift. It’s an experience unlike any other.
Enhance your Christkindlmarkt experience with one of four cozy, private igloos available to reserve in the Winter Wonderland. Each rental includes two-hour access for up to six guests with comfy seating and a warm Amish fireplace, admission for two (additional tickets available for larger parties), a Bethlehem-branded blanket and a gallon of hot chocolate to enjoy the holiday magic.
New events include:
Cookie Decorating and Martini Nights – It’s a night out with friends, decorating holiday cookies and enjoying a festive drink. (21+)
Speed Dating – Enjoy light bites and merry drinks while making new connections. You may even enjoy strolling through Christkindlmart with your new friend.
Art Making – DIY and painting ornaments, make your own wooden advent calendars and more, plus a pop-up Artist Market.
Arts & Crafts — Make festive arts and crafts this holiday season at the St. Nickolaus Haus. The Makerspace at the ArtsQuest Creative Factory presents its first woodworking experience available every Sunday of Christkindlmarkt with 30-minute time slots from 12 to 4 p.m. Patrons ages 8 and up can craft a three-dimensional wooden reindeer using a scroll saw.
According to Mosel, it’s the variety of exhibits that keeps the event fresh each year. “We have a juried selection process in order to assure that no two exhibits are exactly alike so that vendors don’t compete directly with one another,” he says.
Mike Riehl, The Ornament Guy, has been with Christkindlmarkt for over 10 years. He says, “My most popular ornaments are my Christmas scene designs and of the landmarks and sites of the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton during Christmas. I enjoy my customers who have been with me since the very early days 30 years ago and now have made me the destination for their yearly holidays tradition of traveling to see me at Christkindlmarkt to get their ornaments for their families friends and neighbors.”
A large food tent attracts plenty of attention from hungry visitors who want to sample specialty dining options including savory horseradish pickles and decadent double chocolate cookies. There’s always a large line waiting for the scrumptious apple dumplings. Christkindlmarkt features a variety of delicious food, including holiday fare like strudel, German bratwurst, German roasted almonds, German Mac & Cheese, piping hot poutine, mashed potato balls and more. Stop by one of the stocked bars located throughout Christkindlmarkt for a cold beer, cocktails, a glass of wine or a hot toddy.
This year, a new permanent stage at the Levitt Pavilion will host performances from local and regional musicians, adding even more festive energy to the experience. Performers include Olde Towne Carolers; brass quartet Galena Brass; trombone quartet Yuletide Slides; Fritz of Fritz’s Polka Band; local middle and high schools; local singer-songwriters including Stefanie Johnson, Stacy Gabel, Melody Cruz and Erin Kelly.
Michael Sandy of Michael Sandy Photography has been coming to Christkindlmarkt since 2010. He explains, “I would say the most popular items are any of my Bethlehem images as well as the Pennsylvania winter landscapes. People love the large panorama’s of the winter scenes as well as the large Bethlehem Steel images. I absolutely love this show, amazing organization to work with as well as the most loyal customer base of any show of which I’ve participated. I so look forward to seeing so many clients that have become friends over the years.”
Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest, the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL, the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus and the Lehigh Valley Health Network part of Jefferson Health Turn & Grind Shop, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually and utilizes the services of over 1,200 volunteers. Nearly 40% of programs and events are free.