8 Standout Christmas Markets

Nothing gets you in the mood for holiday merrymaking like bundling up and strolling through a soul-warming Christmas market. These seasonal bazaars offer classic experiences—you can cradle a steaming cup of cocoa or mulled wine as you shop for handmade tchotchkes and nosh on sweet treats. But the markets below each feature something extra-special, such as storybook themes, Seinfeld references, rollicking rodeos, Indigenous crafts, or Old World ambience.

Christmas markets in Cologne, Germany

Christmas Market at the Cologne Cathedral: Nov. 17–Dec. 23 (except Nov. 23)

Heinzels Wintermärchen: Nov. 24–Jan. 4 (except Dec. 24–25) 

Angels’ Market: Nov. 17–Dec. 23 (except Nov. 23)

Christmas markets likely originated in Germany in the 1400s, and you can find some of the most delightful in Cologne. The largest Gothic church in northern Europe rises atmospherically above the city’s signature bazaar, the Christmas Market at the Cologne Cathedral (Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom in German). More than 140 vendors in wooden stalls peddle traditional and modern handicrafts, including wooden games, woolen clothes, artisan ornaments, and upcycled goods. You can watch glassblowers, ceramicists, and other artists fashion their wares as singers perform on the central stage. Nearby, the fairy-tale-themed Heinzels Wintermärchen market enchants with its ice-skating rink around a statue, its preponderance of gnomes, and its tempting array of treats, including glühwein (mulled wine), fragrant candied almonds, and all manner of cheesy, meaty, bready indulgences. At the Angels’ Market (Markt der Engel), white lights and ski chalet-style booths create a sophisticated, ethereal experience at night. Admission is free at all markets.

The Great Dickens Christmas Fair in Daly City, California

Weekends from Nov. 22–Dec. 21, plus the Friday after Thanksgiving

This immersive indoor event, a San Francisco Bay Area tradition since 1970, teleports you into the pages of A Christmas Carol and the era of Victorian London. As you meander lamplit alleyways and munch on meat pies, you’ll mingle with hundreds of performers in period costumes, including Ebenezer Scrooge, Father Christmas, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. This year’s theme, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” honors Lewis Carroll in addition to Charles Dickens and other literary greats. Over four acres of the Cow Palace’s exhibition halls, you can watch Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in classic English pantomime, play parlor games and learn historic dances in Fezziwig’s Warehouse, go on a Jekyll & Hyde Pub Crawl, and search for clues on a Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Shop for vintage and handcrafted clothing, collectible ornaments, whimsical carved candles, and other unique gifts. Admission is $30–$45 for adults, $18–$25 for youth, children under 5 are free.

The Nave Holiday Market in Anchorage

Dec. 13

Once called the Church of Love, The Nave is now a community event space where people congregate to celebrate love for Alaska’s communities. On Dec. 13, the Nave will host its Holiday Market, which highlights Alaska Native and Indigenous creators selling fine art, jewelry, clothing, and baked goods. You’ll find beadwork earrings, abalone necklaces, artistic tiles made from glacial clay, salmon leatherware, and more crafted by Unangax̂, Yup’ik, Tlingit, and other Native artisans. The event offers a chance to chat with the creators about the cultural meanings of their artworks and how they source their natural materials. While you’re in town, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center’s museum and outdoor village of life-sized Native homes, and look for seasonal events onsite. Admission is free.

Christkindlmarkt in Salt Lake City  

Dec. 3–6

After living in Frankfurt, Germany, Salt Lake City native Allyson Chard wanted to recreate the magic of a European Christmas market in her hometown. Inspired by the story of St. Martin, who cut his cloak in half and shared it with a freezing man on the street, Chard’s mission is to “put the KIND in ChristKINDlmarkt.” During the St. Martin’s Lantern Parade, youth who have engaged in acts of service sing carols while marching through the market carrying glowing lanterns. The Christkindlmarkt lineup also features a live nativity experience, a Germanic St. Nikolaus parade celebrating generosity, and Stille Nacht (Silent Night) music and spoken-word performances. Naturally, there’s also a market with over 40 food vendors and 75 shopping booths, music, dance, storytelling, and kids’ entertainment including a petting zoo. Admission is free.

Phoestivus in Phoenix

Dec. 12

This funky Phoenix festival riffs on the Seinfeld bit in which George Costanza’s father throws an anti-commercial “Festivus for the rest of us.” Like the Costanza tradition, Phoestivus includes a Phoestivus Pole, Pheats of Strength, and the Airing of Grievances. You can also get photos with Phreddie the Yeti and Hipster Santa—a cool dude rocking a green blazer, a cheetah print Santa hat, and an immaculate beard. The event, which serves as a fundraiser for the Downtown Phoenix Farmers’ Market, features 175 local vendors selling items including seasonal vegan soaps, ethically crafted home goods, Arizona-made specialty foods, and more. This year, Phoestivus is moving to downtown’s Arizona Center, where attendees can stroll among fairy-lit palm trees beneath sculpture canopies while grooving to live music and entertainment. Admission is free.

Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas

Dec. 4–13

Santa hats meet Stetsons and showgirls at this trade show and entertainment extravaganza. The polar opposite of most Christmas markets’ storybook aesthetic, this event celebrates all things western, from a rodeo to a gift-shopping bonanza in the Las Vegas Convention Center. At the Cowboy Christmas Village, families can stroll among trees blanketed with bling, take a photo with Santa, snag a sweet snack from the candy cane wall, then write a letter to Santa and drop it in a special mailbox. In the trade show, which attracts nearly 400 vendors from across the country, shop for everything from jewelry to artworks to cowboy and cowgirl gear. Two-step to country music at several stages, and cheer on young athletes vying for championship titles in bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, and more at the Yeti Junior National Finals Rodeo. Admission is free for the main event and $10 per day for the junior rodeo.