Christkindlmarkt in Waconia

The Christkindlmarkt Festival originated over 700 years ago in Germany during the Advent Season to celebrate the coming of the Christ child. The Festival has continued to this day as the original open air market featuring German/Alpine Christmas traditions such as German sausages and pierogis, roasted almonds, sweet & savory strudel, delectable chocolates, cakes & cupcakes, kindercocoa, and “Gluehwein’’ a warm, sweet, spicy wine.

The Market also includes stalls filled with traditional gifts, handcrafted ornaments, wooden toys, nutcrackers, vintage pieces, alpaca sweaters and mittens, leather goods, hand-crafted wooden boards, original art, German pottery, and German lanterns.

Established first in Dresden Germany, the Christkindlmarkt festival spread to Nurenberg, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Augsburg, Berlin, Munich (the Heart of Bavaria); continued throughout Germany and then to Bern, & Zurich, Switzerland, and on to Salzburg, Austria. Finally, in 1995, it crossed the ocean to downtown Chicago, where there is currently a fabulous Festival inspired by Christkindlmarkt in Nurenberg, Germany.

In keeping with the German traditional Christkindlmarkt, join us and delight your senses with holiday sounds and the aromas of fresh grilled sausage, roasted nuts and other delicacies. There is fun for everyone! Main attractions for the children include Kindercoco, Christkindl, Saint Nicolas, and live Reindeer. Adults enjoy the shopping, music and Gluhwine.

See the schedule of events for more info on the weekends of fun!

The Waconia Christkindlmarkt

The Waconia Christmas Group is a non-profit 501.c.3 organization that sponsors and coordinates the Christkindlmarkt festival in Waconia, Minnesota. This is our 20th year.