The Christkindlmarket at RiverEdge Park in Aurora will open this year on Nov. 22, officials announced Tuesday.
The popular Christmas-time German-American market has made RiverEdge its suburban home since 2022. About 240,000 people visited the fest in Aurora last year, according to city officials.
This year’s Christkindlmarket Aurora at RiverEdge Park will be open Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 22 through Dec. 24. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
There will be special hours of operation of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) and Christmas Eve (Dec. 24); 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 16 to 18; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23,
In Aurora, vendor participation will increase to over 55, featuring Chicago favorites like Chiya Chai, Bearhands & Buddies and Syrin, according to a press release from event organizers German American Events, LLC.
The expanded offerings will include additional photo opportunities and family activities, officials said.
Also, for the first time, receptions can be booked inside the heated Timber Tent at RiverEdge Park, providing a setting for company gatherings, family celebrations and more, organizers said. Booking inquiries can be made via the event’s website at https://www.christkindlmarket.com/aurora/.
Aurora will also host returning family activities such as a scavenger hunt, glassblowing workshops and the lantern parade, organizers said.
In addition to the Aurora location, the annual Christkindlmarket will return to Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago at 50 W. Washington St., organizers said. It will be open daily from Nov. 22 through Dec. 24. Its hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with special hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Due to the NHL Winter classic and additional programming, the Christkindlmarket will not take place in Wrigleyville at Gallagher Way in Chicago this year, according to the release from German American Events.