The Christmas Village gives visitors the opportunity to experience a traditional European Christmas market.
The Christmas Village will be back in the Inner Harbor for the holiday season. The German market takes place every year at the West Shore Park on Light St. in Baltimore from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Last year’s event had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, disappointing vendors and residents. The Christmas Village has an authentic German market, Biergarten, food court, and a 30-foot tall wooden carousel.
The market opens on Thanksgiving weekend with a special ceremony featuring the German Christkind, Santa, and Gingy, the giant gingerbread man. This year, the market is having a special preview weekend ahead of Thanksgiving, November 20–21. Visitors can shop in the traditional market, sample European food and drink, and enjoy a variety of holiday entertainment.
Santa, Christkind, and Gingy, Courtesy of Christmas Village of Baltimore
One of the biggest draws at the Christmas Village is the food. Traditional German favorites like schnitzel, hot pretzels, bratwurst are available at the food court, and booths around the market have several versions of Lebkuchen, German gingerbread. Step into the Biergarten and sample brews direct from Bavaria. Adults can also enjoy spiked holiday drinks and Glühwein, which is a German mulled hot wine. Get your drink served in a collectible souvenir Christmas market mug!
In 2019, the Christmas Village added the Glühwein Pyramid, a 30-foot wooden carousel that originated in the Ore Mountains of Germany. Covered with lights, the carousel serves as the centerpiece to the market, bringing light and cheer to the harbor. The Pyramid also serves as a stand where you can buy holiday drinks and four types of Glühwein.
The Christmas Village is open daily from November 25, 2021, through Christmas Eve. Admission is free on the weekdays and $5 per person on the weekends. Entrance to the Glühwein Pyramid is always free. Parking is available at several nearby garages, or you can take public transportation.
