Nov. 21--Christkindlmarket Chicago opens Friday morning in Daley Plaza.
The open-air festival, modeled after the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, is the largest authentic outdoor German holiday market in the United States, according to organizers.
Situated between Dearborn, Washington, Clark and Randolph streets, the market will be open days and most evenings from Friday through Christmas Eve.
Visitors can shop for handcrafted German products like nutcrackers, cuckoo clocks and beer steins while sipping on traditional German hot spiced wine and snacking on sausage or sweet and savory crepes and waffles.
Popular vendors include Kathe Wohlfahrt -- which sells traditional German Christmas ornaments, candles, tree decorations and more -- and Alpine Heritage, an Austrian maker of miniature Nativity scenes.
The market is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It will close at 4 p.m. Nov. 27 and Dec. 24.
@kimgeiger
