Offering a wide variety of German food and crafts for the past seven years is the Christkindlmarkt in Carmel, Indiana. Open every winter since 2017, over one million people have visited the Christkindlmarkt venue located in the roundabout capital of the world.
Seeking to spread and share German food, crafts and culture, the market sits right in the Carter Green on the south side of The Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, right off of the Monon Trail. It opened for the season on November 18 and closes December 24. While closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, the market is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m.. This excludes special hours and additional closed days like Thanksgiving.
I went with my brother and dad on Saturday, Dec. 2. Flourishing with people, the venue was very packed and crowded, and parking was a very big issue. We parked in the Veterans Way Garage in the Carmel City Center. Despite there being five different levels to park in, we still struggled to find a spot. We spent around 15 minutes trying to find a parking spot before finding a spot on the fourth level. A lot of the time was due to others waiting for someone to back out of a spot so that the spot could be filled by another market goer. Parking there is free, so it is definitely worth taking advantage of.
Getting to the venue was very simple and easy. We parked near an exit about a quarter of a mile away from the market, so a quick left and right and we were there. With ongoing construction just off the market, there were not a lot of cars to look out for, so we just followed the group of people.
We arrived around 1:30. We also went on a Saturday, likely accounting for the large crowd we faced ahead. When entering the market we did not have to pay, as it is free to enter.
We were immediately met with sounds of a live yodeling group, as well as the smells of baked goods, fire roasted meats, hot chocolate and coffee. There were no maps posted immediately when entering so we went down the first lane of markets. The three of us found it very hard to stay together because of all of the people having a wonderful time.
We finally found a map after walking around the whole market. It was posted on the first aid station on the opposite end we entered. With 58 different booths, it was hard for us to decide on what we should do first.
We decided on the 48th booth, Kaffee & Schmalzkuchen. Known for German Doughnuts, also known as Schmalzkuchen, coffee and hot chocolate. We decided to share an order of Schmalzkuchen for $8, my brother got peppermint hot chocolate for $8 and my dad got a vanilla latte for $4. We waited in line for no longer than five minutes, quickly and swiftly going through the line. The donuts were amazing. They were unglazed, plain doughy balls covered in powdered sugar. It was evident that they were freshly baked as they were still very warm.
I tried my brother's peppermint hot chocolate, and being someone who does not much care for hot chocolate it was decent, but definitely not worth $8 in my opinion. I also tried my dads latte. I do not like coffee so when I tried it, I was not surprised I did not like it, but my dad enjoyed it.
There were no open places to sit and eat, so we had to eat while standing overlooking a live christmas music performance.
We then decided to try something more on the non-dessert side. We went to booth 32, Räucherschinken Haus. We waited in line for 5-10 minutes but were greeted and warmly welcomed by booth workers. We decided to try the smoked krakauer for $12. Basically, it is a bratwurst made up of beef and pork instead of just pork.
It came out smoking hot right off the grill and was gently placed on potato bread. When biting into the krakauer, it popped and released juice and a surreal smell that made me think of a backyard grill out. The bread was very good and very fluffy. We added a type of German Mustard that enhanced the flavor and was excellent.
Next, we decided to look at some crafts and went to booth nine, Frankenmuth Clock Company. This booth consisted of well-sculpted, colorful cuckoo clocks. There were so many clocks, and it was fascinating to look at. Frankenmuth Clock Company is from Frankenmuth, Michigan. They are known for their well-crafted black forest cuckoo clocks. As someone who never has seen a cuckoo clock, this was very eye opening to look at the different designs.
We looked in other booths including booth two, Lichtermeer, which is paper star lanterns. I was surprised by their rather heavyweight appearance because in all actuality they are a light airy craft. I was impressed by the color of all of the crafts and their appearance. I definitely understood why there was a line to look at them.
We stopped several times to admire the ice skaters on the huge ice rink in the middle of the market. I truly regret not skating, but I stopped to appreciate the entertainment before my eyes as skaters cleared the space for the Zamboni to resurface the ice. Even as a 16 year old, I could not help but find it entertaining to watch the Zamboni, and I was not the only one. People of all ages stopped and watched it work. It was something so small that made my day.
We then decide to go to booth 45, Truffle & Mehr, for truffles, which are chocolate balls with different fillings. We got six for $10. We got Irish cream, rum, orange, raspberry, mint and hazelnut flavored truffles. I tried the orange and raspberry ones. The raspberry went very well with the rich milk chocolate. It was very gooey and flavorful.I did not think orange and chocolate would go together, but they went together perfectly, and they balanced each other out. The citrus of the orange mixed with the rich chocolate flavor provided a balanced pallet. I am now eager to try anything orange with chocolate because of this amazing treat.
After this, we walked around and checked out a few more places. We even saw a booth acknowledging and selling Hanukkah-themed items and decorations. It was very easy to glance over everything and not notice that there are several different items from other cultures and countries. There was Belgian hot chocolate, some sausage was Polish, ect.
We unfortunately had to leave after touring the area for a little longer, and it was a lot less busy when we left. Even though we did not get to do everything, there was so much else to eat and see. There were potato pancakes, pretzels, popcorn and nuts.
Non-food wise there was a booth with trains that would certainly entertain a child, an area to watch the live performances and many cool crafts to look at. Getting out was not that difficult, and the parking garage was more empty.
I rate the Christkindlmarket a 9.2/10. I got a huge taste of German food and a fresh experience of other cultures. It is for everyone, young and old.Overall this was a great experience, and I definitely will be going back. There are a few things I suggest you do to improve your experience.
1- Get there early dont wait till three to show up. Show up around thirty minutes before opening.
2- Dress warmly. We went on a 50-degree day so we were not cold, but it is outside so dress for the weather.
3- Expect crowds. It is very busy, and there is not a lot of room to move around.
4- Bring enough money. We spent close to $43, so prepare to spend money.
5- Know how to navigate. Use a map or bring someone who can use a map as it is a little difficult to navigate.
6- Expect there to be a good cultural experience.