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Seasonal Roundup · Fall 2026

Christmas Markets 2026: Dates by Weekend

Written by the USA Fest Bot team with AI help. · Published · Updated

Wooden market stalls and lights at an outdoor Christkindlmarket in a city plaza
Outdoor stalls at Christkindlmarket in Chicago’s Daley Plaza (not one of the events below). Photo: DR04, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0, cropped.

Christmas markets start opening in early November and run into late December. This guide lists 61 Christmas markets, Christkindlmarkets and holiday markets from October 28, 2026 to January 3, 2027, in 27 states and Washington, D.C., grouped by weekend, with links to each listing and the event’s own website. For the full filterable list (by state or ZIP), see our Christmas markets hub.

Twenty-five of these stay open for weeks once they start. The rest are weekend markets. USA Fest Bot doesn’t sell tickets.

Dates can change, so check the event’s website before you go.

Season-long markets (open for weeks)

These twenty-five markets open once and stay open for two weeks or more. Many are German-style Christkindlmarkets in city plazas; others are holiday shop villages that run into late December.

Glass holiday ornaments hanging at a German Christmas market stall in Chicago
Glass ornaments at a German Christmas market stall in Chicago (not an event in this guide). Photo: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped.

November 6–8

The first full weekend of November brings four shorter markets, including early Christkindlmarkt and holiday market weekends.

November 13–15

Mid-November adds three weekend markets, from Alaska bazaars to Texas’s Nutcracker Market.

November 20–22

The weekend before Thanksgiving is busy: five weekend markets open, and several season-long Christkindlmarkets start the same week.

People walking among lit wooden stalls at Christkindlmarket Chicago
Evening crowds among wooden stalls at Christkindlmarket Chicago (not an event in this guide). Photo: Daniel X. O'Neil, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped.

November 27–29

Thanksgiving weekend has five markets, from one-day Christmas markets to multi-day gift markets.

December 4–6

Early December is one of the densest weekends on this list, with twelve markets across the country.

December 11–13

The second weekend of December brings six markets, including last-chance holiday markets and bazaars.

December 18–20

Late December is quieter on our list, with one dated market still ahead.

Christkindlmarkets and classic markets

A Christkindlmarkt follows the German open-air market style: wooden stalls, seasonal food and crafts, often in a town square. This guide includes twelve with Christkindl or Kerstmarkt in the name, among them Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem, Grand Rapids Christkindl Markt, Denver Christkindlmarket, Christkindlmarket Aurora, Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville, Kerstmarkt, Christkindlmarkt at Hofbräuhaus Buffalo and Texas Christkindl Market (Arlington). Weekend craft markets and holiday bazaars fill out the calendar in smaller towns.

Holiday lights nearby

Many markets sit near tree lightings and light displays. For drive-through and walk-through lights, use our holiday lights hub (filter by state or ZIP). Turkey trots and related November events are on Thanksgiving events.

Before you go: a short checklist

  • Open the event’s website the week you go. Hours, ticket policies and weather plans change; the listing page links to the organizer’s site.
  • Check whether it is a one-weekend market or a long run. Season-long markets above stay open for weeks; weekend sections are shorter.
  • Dress for cold evenings. Outdoor stalls are the point of many of these markets.
  • Add it to your calendar. Every listing page has an “Add to calendar (.ics)” link.

Find more events near you

Start with Christmas markets, then holiday lights. To browse by state, open all states. Missing a market? Submit a listing.

Quick answers

When do Christmas markets run in 2026?

On our list, the earliest season-long market opens in late October, and most open between early November and early December. Many close by Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day. Dates can change, so check the event’s website before you go.

What is a Christkindlmarkt?

It is a German-style Christmas market, usually outdoors with stalls for crafts and seasonal food. Several U.S. cities hold one under that name or a close spelling.

Is an event I know missing?

It may not have posted its 2026 dates yet, or it may be on our Christmas markets hub with a different start weekend. You can submit a listing with a link to its website.

USA Fest Bot is not affiliated with any event in this guide and does not sell tickets. Found a date that has changed? Send a correction.