10 European-style Christmas Markets in the USA You Can Experience

Bundle up and get ready for Christmas cheer: These festive, European-style Christmas markets feel just like the real thing, but are right here at home in the U.S. If you’re seeking Christmas charm, but aren't able to hop across the pond to the iconic holiday markets in Europe, we’ve found the best European-style Christmas markets right here in the U.S.

Christmas Village, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Christmas Village in Philadelphia is probably the closest you can get to an authentic German Christmas market in the U.S. Located at Love Park and City Hall, the market runs from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. Visitors can expect more than 100 vendors in wooden booths selling the same wares you’d find at the European equivalent, from edible delicacies to ornaments, jewelry, sweets, and arts and crafts from all over the world.

Enjoy thousands of twinkling lights and the heartwarming scent of waffles, gingerbread, and bratwurst in the air — best washed down with a cup of hot mulled wine. There’s a Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, an ice rink, and a municipal Christmas tree nearby, and you can even ride a Christmas Village carousel in City Hall’s courtyard. The market is open Nov. 19 through Dec. 24, 2022, and it's free to the public.

Christkindlmarket Chicago, Illinois

From Nov. 18 to Dec. 24, bundle up and head to Christkindlmarket Chicago, which was inspired by the 16th-century Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, to get in the holiday spirit. With dozens of decorated wooden booths spread across Daley Plaza, plus steaming mugs of glühwein (both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions) and sweet and savory German snacks, it’s a real highlight of the cold Chicago winters. Similar markets take place in Aurora and Wrigleyville, and all have musical performances and family-friendly activities for kids, including free Kinder Club passports, which contain riddles and on-site activities aiming to educate little ones about German traditions and cultural differences.

Savannah Christmas Market, Georgia

This year, the Plant Riverside District will again host the annual Savannah Christmas Market from Nov. 25 through Jan. 2, 2023. A tree lighting ceremony opens a season of fun, including photos with Santa Claus, seasonal food and crafts, live music and performances, the Savannah Harbor Boat Parade of Lights, and more. All is presented in a festive setting modeled after the traditional Salzburg Christmas market — a soul-warming marriage of European and Southern holiday traditions. For even more holiday cheer, don’t miss Christmas on the River along Savannah’s waterfront. The three-day festival, complete with a Christmas parade and merry music and dance, will take place from Dec. 9 to 11, 2022.

Denver Christkindlmarket, Colorado

The Denver Christkindlmarket is held at Civic Center Park, a spacious, open-air location reminiscent of the outdoor European markets. Nothing brings the holiday spirit like the classics, so enjoy steaming mugs of glühwein, as as well as Bavarian-style beers and European coffee and hot chocolate. Live music, including polka, bluegrass, and schuhplattler, is also on the agenda. The market features iconic wooden huts housing European, local Coloradan, and international merchants, and food options include Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, knödel, goulash, and Nürnberger sausages. The market is open daily from Nov. 18 through Dec. 23, 2022.

Peoples Gas Holiday Market, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Downtown Pittsburgh holds its annual Peoples Gas Holiday Market from Nov. 19 through Dec. 23, to celebrate the festive season. The market is set in beautifully illuminated Market Square, allowing for outdoor strolling. Visitors can also enjoy live music as they wander the wooden chalets brimming with holiday goods such as handmade Polish folk art, German-made Christmas products, Celtic Irish gifts, and even fresh Austrian strudels and bratwursts.

Solvang Julefest, California

Missing Tivoli Gardens this Christmas? From Nov. 26 to Jan. 6, 2023, get your fix at Solvang Julefest, which takes place annually in the Danish-American town of Solvang, founded in 1911 and continuing to uphold Danish tradition today. Adding to the fairy tale atmosphere, which the Solvang Julefest website describes as “a walk through a vintage postcard and a Hallmark movie at the same time,” the entire town is decorated, though the market itself is the perfect place to eat your fill of festive Danish foods such as asæbleskiver (small pancakes dipped in jam and sugar) and gløgg (the Danish version of mulled wine). Don’t miss highlights like the tree lighting ceremony, Julefest Parade, candlelight tours, and Solvang nativity pageant.

Downtown Holiday Market, Washington, D.C.

From Nov. 18 to Dec. 23, 2022, head to the Downtown Holiday Market in Washington, D.C. for an open-air shopping village with local jewelry, pottery, paintings, and textiles — a bit of European charm in our nation’s capital. Visitors can shop more than 75 artisans, crafters, and boutiques, and enjoy seasonal entertainment nightly. The market is centered at 8th and F Streets NW. Note that it’s closed on Thanksgiving Day and on Dec. 5.

Holland Kerstmarkt, Michigan

To visit one of the most festive domestic destinations, head to Holland, a Michigan town modeled after the country formerly of the same name (now known as the Netherlands). Holland’s annual 18-booth Kerstmarkt (“Christmas market” in Dutch) is an outdoor European-style market, complete with holiday items, traditional food, and artisan demonstrations. Located at the 8th Street Marketplace, Kerstmarkt is held on weekends from Nov. 19 through Dec. 10, 2022, and shares space with the seasonal farmers market on Saturdays.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair, San Francisco

For five weekends from Nov. 19 to Dec. 18, 2022, revelers can transport themselves to Victorian London with a visit to The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. Along the winding lamp-lit lanes of this not-so-wintry wonderland, merrymakers will encounter music halls, theaters, pubs, dance parties, shops stocked with handmade holiday treasures, and hundreds of characters from the world dreamed up by literary great Charles Dickens. Don’t miss a stop at the cart serving freshly roasted organic chestnuts in traditional paper cones.

Texas Christkindl Market, Arlington

Inspired by its sister city of Bad Königshofen, Germany, the Texas Christkindl Market brings European Christmas magic to the heart of the Lone Star State. From irresistible smells to scenes that delight the eyes, the market is a feast for the senses, and visitors can shop handcrafted gifts and collectibles, including exclusive merchandise and designs from the iconic Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Village in Germany. The Texas Christkindl Market is open daily between Nov. 25 and Dec. 23, 2022.