FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2022
Athenaeum Foundation announces Inaugural Christkindlmarkt taking place this winter
First-ever Christkindlmarkt to celebrate and support local artisans through German heritage
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, the Athenaeum Foundation announced plans for their first-ever Christkindlmarkt, which will take place in the Rathskeller Biergarten in late-November and throughout December.
This year’s market will feature 12 vendor huts, which will be occupied by local artisans and merchants. Each hut vendor will sell holiday-specific items, local memorabilia, gifts and more. The huts were concepted and designed by local fabricator, Solid State Midwest.
“Traditionally a Christkindlmarkt is a gathering place, during the holidays, where the local community can gather amongst the backdrop of music, traditional German food and holiday shopping from local and regional artisans,” said Athenaeum Foundation President, Craig Mince. “Our plan is to honor the long-standing tradition of a German Christkindlmarkt. We are working with local artisans and vendors to help highlight their interpretation of traditional German offerings when it comes to music, food and retail items.”
The Athenaeum Foundation will occupy a hut where they will sell German-specific items, branded candelabras (schwibboen), Christkindlmarkt ornaments and boot mugs, t-shirts and more.
The Christkindlmarkt will officially open Nov. 25 and operate through Nov. 27.
The official Christkindlmarkt schedule for December is below:
Thursday, Dec. 1 – Sunday, Dec. 4
Thursday, Dec. 8 – Sunday, Dec. 11
Thursday, Dec. 15 – Sunday, Dec. 18
Hours for the market are as follows:
Thursday & Friday: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: Noon – 9 p.m.
Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.
In addition to the huts, the Christkindlmarkt will include live entertainment on the Biergarten stage, visits from St. Nicholas & Krampus, food options provided by the Rathskeller, an exclusive beer brewed only for the Christkindlmarkt by Sun King Brewery and much more.
Athenaeum leadership hopes to expand the Christkindlmarkt over the coming years and partner with additional venues and destinations around the city.
The Athenaeum Foundation is currently completing a callout for additional vendors for the market. For more information about Christkindlmarkt or vendor opportunities, please visit athenaeumindy.org.
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About the Athenaeum
The Athenaeum, formerly known as the Das Deutsche Haus, preserves and enhances its historic German-American landmark to advance the “sound mind in a sound body” values of its founders through programming that lifts spirits and engages diverse communities. Built in 1894, it serves as a community center for many cultural, business and nonprofit groups, including the YMCA, Young Actors Theatre and The Rathskeller restaurant. The Athenaeum is listed three times in the National Registry of Historic Places, for its architecture and historical significance, as part of the Massachusetts Avenue Commercial District and as being within the Lockerbie Square historic district.
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