Christkindlmarket Chicago 2012 Shopping Event / Holiday Event / Food & Drink Event Nov 21–Dec 24, 2012

Christkindlmarket Chicago is an annual month-long holiday market spanning from around Thanksgiving to Christmas held in Daley Plaza. Located next to the Daley Center in the middle of the Loop neighborhood in Chicago, Daley Plaza is home to a 50-foot Picasso sculpture and has been featured in movies like The Blues Brothers and The Dark Knight.

Inaugurated in 1996, Christkindlmarket Chicago is now the largest Christmas market in the United States, attracting well over one million visitors each year. The German-themed market is inspired by the original Christkindlmarket in Nuremberg, Germany and features many traditional German products from beer to baked goods to holiday ornaments. Highlights of Christkindlmarket Chicago include the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the beginning of the event, holiday performances by bands and choirs, and crowd-favorite performance of The Christmas Scooner.

The closest “L” stops to Christkindlmarket Chicago are the Washington/Dearborn stop on the Blue Line and the State/Lake stop of the Red Line. The market generally stays open from 11am–8pm on weekdays and 11am–9pm on weekends.