The corona pandemic made Christmas markets almost impossible last year. In 2021, the popular events in many cities will start now. An overview of the new opening times.
The Christmas market season is approaching. This year it starts particularly early in some places and takes longer in other cities than in previous years. The fact that the stalls stand longer and visitors can drink punch and browse through handicrafts as early as the beginning of November should enable showmen to earn higher income after the long Corona break.
Corona rules are often still unclear
Some Christmas markets stay open late in the evening so that many people can come during the week, outside of the peak hours on the weekend. which Rules for the second season with Corona apply is not yet clear everywhere.
Attention: The overview does not claim to be complete and was last updated on November 5, 2021. For up-to-date information on your local Christmas market, please contact your organizer directly.
Winter magic Berlin
In some cities, the Christmas season is longer this time: The “Winterzauber Berlin” starts on November 5th. After the cancellation in 2020, visitors would get variety and fun earlier, explained organizer Carmen Blume. And the exhibitors would have “two to three weeks ahead of the other Christmas markets”.
Winter magic Wandsbek
The Wandsbeker winter magic also begins on November 5th and even lasts into January: it doesn’t end here in Hamburg until January 2nd. The Hamburg Christmas markets “Hanseatic Christmas” (November 18), “Santa Pauli” (November 15) and the Christmas market at the Apostle Church on November 18 also start a little earlier.
In Hamburg, the Senate decided that the organizers can decide for themselves whether the 2G or 3G regulation applies to their markets.
Steeler Christmas Market Essen
The Steeler Christmas Market in Essen started on November 4th. In addition to sales, food and mulled wine stands there is also a large stage. There is a children’s program and pop concerts there. The Christmas market is open until December 30th.
Christmas markets in Offenbach and Darmstadt
As an exception, the market in Offenbach, Hesse, starts earlier – on November 15th. One reason is to support the showmen after the long Corona break without income, the city said. In Darmstadt it starts on the same day,
Christmas market pouring
The Christmas market in Giessen starts on November 18th. With the early start, on the one hand, they wanted to make the guests happy, said Frank Hölscheidt, Managing Director of Gießen Marketing GmbH. “In addition, there were inquiries from the trade and from the operators of the stands, who of course are also happy about the early start of the Christmas market and the ice rink.”
Lamberti Market Oldenburg
The “Lamberti-Markt” in Oldenburg also starts a week earlier this time, on November 16.
Christmas market Hanover
In Hanover there is another relief for the showmen and traders: the council has halved the fees. The traditional Christmas market opens on November 22nd at 4 p.m. After that it is open until 10 p.m. every Christmas.
Munich Christmas Market
The showmen at the Christkindlmarkt in downtown Munich are allowed to stay a good two weeks longer than normal, until January 9, 2022.
Christkindlesmarkt Nürnberg
The world-famous Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt, on the other hand, lasts just as long and is about as big as ever. The city wants to distribute the market to several inner city squares. Even with the traditional opening by a Christ Child actress, there are cutbacks – instead of from the balcony of the Frauenkirche, it is only available on television this year.
Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt: In addition to delicacies, there are always creative gift ideas at Christmas markets. (Source: Future Image / imago images)
Rules for Christmas markets in Bavaria
In Bavaria there is no general 3G regulation on Christmas markets. It only has to be adhered to in the catering trade in delimited indoor areas – provided the local incidence is above 35, which is currently the case almost everywhere (as of October 30). The organizers can, however, apply stricter rules. In the open air, there is no mask requirement on the Bavarian markets. If minimum distances cannot be maintained, a medical face mask is recommended.
Rules for Christmas markets in North Rhine-Westphalia
In North Rhine-Westphalia, too, the Christmas markets are no longer due to the corona pandemic. “All in all, the traditional running times remain,” said Albert Ritter, head of the Working Group of Showmen Associations in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, in some cases the area of the markets has been enlarged, such as in Essen, where there are fewer visitor streets and wider paths.
In NRW, the 3G rule applies to the Christmas markets – that is, visitors must prove that they have been vaccinated against Corona, are considered recovered or have a negative Corona test. This is signposted and there will be random checks, said Ritter.
The earliest Christmas markets start here in Cologne’s city garden on November 18th or in the harbor on November 19th. The popular “Christmas City” in Dortmund will also start on November 18th, as will the Christmas market in Düsseldorf.
Dortmund Christmas City 2019: There was no Christmas market last year, now things should start earlier in Dortmund than usual. (Source: Friedrich Stark / imago images)
Rules are often still unclear
What is required later in November and then in December, however, could still change – due to the development of the pandemic or because regulations expire and new ones have to be made.
In Saxony-Anhalt, for example, the new state corona ordinance, which will then also apply to the Christmas markets, is not yet available. In Magdeburg, however, according to the city, the market should be open every working day at least until 10 p.m., so that a visit can also be planned outside the busy weekend. It starts here on November 22nd and probably in the scope and with the arrangement of 2019.
In Stuttgart, the market opens its doors to visitors from the third week of November. But as in many municipalities, it is currently still unclear which rules will apply to the market, as Jörg Klopfer from the organizer in Stuttgart said. The country’s Ministry of Social Affairs promised the return of the Christmas markets at the end of September and at the same time laid down basic rules. The state leaves it up to the organizers to decide how they are implemented.
Liberation blow for showmen
For Mark Roschmann from the Southwest Showman Association, the return of the Christmas markets is a “liberation” despite the Corona requirements. After a break of around two years, they are a start into the new season for dealers, said Roschmann. The managing director of the Hessian state association for market trade and showmen sees it similarly: “From an economic point of view, we rate it as elementary and vital for our members. Especially since the state Corona bridging aid expires at the end of the year,” said Roger Simak.
According to him, the Advent season could have a positive effect on the industry in the long term: “We think that if the Christmas markets work well, we can look to the fair and folk festivals with more hope again in 2022.”
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