The most known city in the United States is Chicago, which is situated in Illinois and just behind New York City and Los Angeles in terms of population. Chicago is a well-liked location, but the winter months can be a drag because of the longer nights, ferocious winds, and subzero temperatures.
Despite the dreary weather, the city comes alive with various events celebrating the Christmas season. It’s well renowned for its assortment of Chicago holiday markets and sporadic stands where locals and visitors may shop and enjoy the season.
Visit one of these Christmas markets in US Chicago if you’re traveling to the Windy City for the first time and want to go shopping or spend the holidays with your friends or family.
You can use the information in this guide to make informed visit planning decisions. To minimize difficulty, don’t forget to store your bags in a luggage locker in Chicago. After putting your belongings away, you may go shopping with free hands!
Table of Contents
Best streets of the Chicago market
Chicago Christmas market is huge. There are tons of streets where you can visit. Finding the best out of those is quite a tough task. So today, we are discussing the best streets with you.
Chicago Christkindlmarket
Undoubtedly, Chicago’s Christkindlmarket is the most well-liked holiday market and one of the top destinations for festive shopping and entertainment. This 1995-founded German-themed Christmas market is held at three locations in Chicago: Aurora, Daley Plaza, and Gallagher Way.
The market with the same name established in the German city of Nuremberg served as the model for the Christkindlmarket, celebrated worldwide today. Numerous vendors selling everything from trinkets to seasonal fares like mulled wine, potato pancakes, and hot spiced wine can be found here.
Every year, the market occurs between mid-November and late December; in 2022, it will return to the Daley Plaza and run from November 18 to December 24. A similar event will occur in Gallagher Way, directly across from Wrigley Field, although it will have extra opening days from December 26 to 29.
Holiday Market on Randolph Street
Randolph St., located in the hip Magnificent Mile section of downtown Chicago, is one of the top spots to go shopping. It also serves as the home of the renowned Chicago Antique Market. Despite being open almost all year round, Plumbers Hall hosts a cheerful Christmas market every December on Randolph Street.
The Christmas market will be back on December 17 and 18, 2022. There, shoppers may browse more than 100 stalls and sellers offering everything from vintage and stylish items to jewelry and decorations. Although there is a $10 admission charge, shoppers can park for free at the market.
A Unique Holiday Show
The ultimate location in the city for holiday shopping and entertainment is the One of a Kind Holiday show, which is Chicago’s version of a Christmas market frenzy. Hundreds of artists and creative vendors looking to sell their goods attend the event, which has been hosted at the Merchandise Mart for more than 20 years. It’s one of the best locations to look through and shop for unique products that aren’t available in typical stores.
The of a-Kind exhibition aimed to highlight Chicago’s artistic community. You can find many goods here, including handcrafted items, pottery, furniture, paintings, ornaments, and other festive treats.
Unorthodox Craft Fair
The Renegade Craft Fair is the one that Christmas event you should attend in Chicago if you enjoy spending money on handcrafted goods and regional crafts.
Every year, the Renegade Craft Fair draws an average of 300,000 people. Buy various goods, including clothes, silverware, jewelry, handicrafts, art, and more. The expo will be hosted at the Morgan Manufacturing building in 2022 on the 17th and 18th of December. The market is open from 11 am to 5 pm, and admission costs roughly $12.
Artisan Market in Chicago
A curated pop-up market, The Chicago Artisan Market is devoted to showcasing the best in the city’s culinary, artistic, and fashion scenes. The market contains locally owned shops selling everything from handcrafted items to local specialties. It is hosted on various days throughout the year.
The market will be held in 2022 on November 26–27 in Ravenswood and on December 11 in Fulton Market. Visit the Chicago Artisan Market’s official website for a complete schedule of events and additional choices.
Lantern Parade for the Kinder Clubs
Traditional Christmas carols are fun to dance to and sing along to while being illuminated by lights and a real-life fairy. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy this. This year, the Lantern Parade will be staged in both marketplaces as a tribute to a long-standing German custom in which kids would go out after dark carrying lanterns and singing folk songs in hopes of receiving treats—sort of like Halloween but far less terrifying. The Lantern Parade also honors St. Martin, revered as a patron saint of the underprivileged and a friend to children. Expect to see Christkind, a folkloric heavenly gift-giver who leads the singing crowd through the market while providing kids lanterns and baskets of sweets.Each event begins on December 1 in Daley Plaza and ends on December 12 at Gallagher Way, lasting from 4 to 6 pm.
How long does christkinfmarket last in Chicago?
There are three locations: Wrigleyville, Aurora, and Chicago. Its flagship market is Daley Plaza in Chicago (50 W Washington Street). The business is open from 11 am to 8 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 11 am to 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Aurora facility, which will open in 2022, is in RiverEdge Park and is open from 11 am to 7 pm on Thursdays, 11 am to 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 am to 6 pm on Sundays.
The hours in Wrigleyville have yet to be disclosed, although it is probable that they will be the same as in Aurora. Similar to previous years, the installation is located at Gallagher Way.
Is christkindmarket cash only?
No, this is not true. Christkindmarket has lots of stalls that accept online payments or card transactions. But many stalls only accept cash. So if you are planning to visit this market, bring money with you.
Best vendors of Chicago Christmas market?
Do you need clarification on which vendor to visit this season in the Chicago Christmas market? Let’s know more about it:
Vendors of ornaments
What better way to get in the holiday spirit than to stock up on some new tree ornaments? Both Christkindlmarkets contain a plethora of sellers selling exquisitely handcrafted ornaments. I was particularly mesmerized by the stunning Chicago Bean ornament seen above. However, they also offer more traditional designs if that’s what you like.
Chicago Christkindlmarket Ornaments
This year, you can even preorder the first-ever Christkindlmarket Ornament, a hand-painted glass ornament with a city skyline in the background and a picture from the Christkindlmarket with the famous red and white striped vendor stalls. The $35 ornament is made by hand in Poland.
Vendors of nutcrackers
The cutest nutcrackers come in all different sizes and forms at Christkindlmarket if you wish to decorate the space adjacent to your Christmas tree.
The huge ones are expensive, but they are worthwhile, given the craftsmanship put into each one. This adorable little boy in his brown attire (quite trendy and appropriate for 2021!) caught my attention.
My preferred nutcracker seller at Christkindlmarket is Eastern European Treasures. Do not overlook this!
Kuckuckuhren German Maker of Cuckoo Clocks
With a handcrafted cuckoo clock from German cuckoo clock maker Kuckuckuhren, there is no better way to bring the enchanted atmosphere of the holidays in Germany into your house.
The clocks come in various forms, sizes, and styles, much like the nutcrackers, so you may find the ideal Bavarian feel for your home. I highly recommend visiting Kuckuckuhren, even if you’re not looking for a cuckoo clock to check out their candle holders (shown above). The elaborate and exquisite designs would look fantastic on your coffee table throughout the holiday.
The Daley Plaza Artist
Take a break from your holiday shopping frenzy to pause and gaze in awe at the Picasso that dominates the Daley Plaza. When you take children to the market, they will enjoy climbing and sliding down this enormous sculpture. It’s a terrific method to get those sugary snacks off your body!
I enjoy moving around the Picasso sculpture and taking pictures of it from unusual perspectives with the holiday decorations in the background. A nice keepsake is a picture of the Picasso sculpture next to Chicago’s Christkindlmarket.
Fun fact: Picasso referred to this sculpture as a gift to the city of Chicago instead of accepting payment for it!
Bakery Dinkel’s
I will consider my visit to the Chicago Christmas market complete once I’ve tried Dinkel’s Bakery’s velvety hot cocoa and their world-famous stollen. Germans typically consume stolen during the Christmas season as sweet bread. Additionally, the recipe for Dinkel’s renowned stollen stretches back to the 1800s!
After it comes out of the oven, the hand-shaped dough is lightly dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar and filled with golden raisins, pineapple pieces, almonds, and cashews. Try Dinkel’s thick, doughy stolen at the Christkindlmarket; it goes great with their hot cocoa!
Conclusion
These are the best things about the Chicago Christmas market. It is a huge festival with lots of activities to do. You will find stuff to eat, play and buy. Going to this market isn’t a regretful decision at all. Just make sure that you go to the best vendors only.
