What It’s Like Visiting the Cullman Christkindlmarkt (AL)

I love European Christmas markets, and I’ve been to quite a few (15 to be exact, across 9 different countries)! There’s just something about the atmosphere – wooden huts selling hot food, hot cider in adorable mugs, and Christmas decor and gifts, with giant Christmas tree, ice skating rinks, Christmas pyramids, and lights everywhere – that can’t help but bring a smile to your face and get you in the Christmas spirit.

And while just about every European city has its own Christmas market and celebrations, in the United States, we just don’t have the same sort of experience. So, I was absolutely delighted to discover a brand-new Christkindlmarkt, or Christmas market, in my backyard of northern Alabama in the city of Cullman.

And while it doesn’t have *quite* the same atmosphere as a European Christmas market, for rural Alabama, dang it did a good job.

Interestingly, Cullman actually has a strong German background, as the city was founded by a German immigrant and designed to attract other German (and European) immigrants in America.

In this post, I’m sharing exactly what it’s like to visit the Cullman Christkindlmarkt, including what foods to eat, what types of goods are for sale, and what activities you can enjoy.

Market Dates for 2024

The Cullman Christkindlmarkt has not yet released its dates and hours for 2024.

However, in 2023, the market was open from November 24-December 23, Thursdays to Sundays. I’d expect the same hours for the market in 2024, and I will keep this article updated with any new dates and information as it becomes available.

Generally, dates and times for Christmas markets are released in the fall.

An Overview of the Market

A lit up red sign with the Christmas pyramid in the background and lots of people walking throughout the market

The Cullman Christkindlmarkt is set up in a field in the middle of Cullman. A big sign flanked by oversized nutcrackers welcomes you to the market, and as you enter, you are immediately greeted by the Christmas pyramid, a very traditional Christmas market fixture in German-speaking countries.

A Christmas pyramid with seven different levels and and large candles around the side.

The Christmas pyramid is always on top of the main drink stand in the market, and you can buy a variety of hot alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks here.

A large hut with white shingles and lines of people looking for food and drinks.

The entire market is lined by wooden huts trimmed out in lights and garland, which sell either food to eat or goods to buy. In the middle of the market is the ice skating rink and the giant Christmas tree (another European Christmas market staple), and there are rides and activities towards the back of the market area.

A man and woman stand together in front of a large Christmas tree with red, white, and green ornaments.

Lights are strung over the ice rink and over the stalls, which add so much ambiance at night.

A line of wooden huts with people walking around and lights strung up all around the market

Overall, the setup and ambiance of the market were fantastic and felt incredibly European to me. If we picked up the market and plunked it down in the middle of European Square surrounded by beautiful, Old World buildings, the Cullman Christkindlmarkt would have been right at home.

Activities

Besides eating, drinking, and shopping, the Christkindlmarkt in Cullman had a lot of fun activities to participate in:

>>Ice Skating

A small ice rink with lots of people with some red carts and lights strung up.

A small rink is in the middle of the market for visitors to enjoy. Entrance to the rink costs $6, and ice skate rentals are $4.

>>Kiddie “Train”

A group of people sit on cushions on a train leading throughout the market.

This little train ride drove you around the outside of the market. The driver made the ride really fun, winding in figure 8’s and blowing an actual train whistle. Cost is $3/person.

>>Carousel

A girl on a white horse on a lit up blue carousel.

Carousels are always a fun activity. Cost was $3/person (parents standing next to their kids are free).

>>Igloo Domes

A large Christmas tree with red ornaments and a plastic bubble figure with people inside it.

These igloo domes are free and available to anyone who wants to escape the elements while eating their food. There were only 3 of these set up, but they were certainly a fun novelty.

>>Santa’s Workshop for Kids

Three girls stand in front of a red and black checkered table with tiny packages.

The kid’s activity tent at the back of the market was an area where I thought the Cullman Christkindlmarkt really shone – I was extremely impressed with the cute setup and what they had to offer.

Various arts and crafts activities were open and free for kids to participate in. My kids made a little bag of “reindeer food” to sprinkle out for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. Then they wrote letters to Santa and mailed them in the special Santa Mailbox.

A girl drops a white letter into a red oval mailbox
A girl in a red dress holds a letter to Santa Claus in front of a wooden table.

There was also the cutest little gingerbread house photo booth for pictures with Santa. We happened to miss Santa when we were in the kid’s activity area, so we didn’t end up getting a picture with him, but they still let the kids sit down and take a picture in the photo booth area.

Three girls sit on a green bench in front of a gingerbread prop with two Christmas trees.

Food to Eat at the Cullman Christmas Market

Overall, we were impressed with the food offerings at the Cullman Christkindlmarkt, as they were all very traditional and popular foods you’d find at European markets.

Schnitzel and Spiralized Potatoes: Schnitzel is made with a slice of meat (chicken, in this case), that’s been pounded thin and then fried. Here, it is served with fried, spiralized potatoes. Often the spiralized potatoes are served on a stick – in Cullman, they were heaped on the plate.
Cost: $12

Flammekuchen: Flammekuchen is a cross between a pizza and a flatbread, where dough is grilled and then topped with a creamy spread, onions, and bacon. There are also other topping combinations you can get on your flammekuchen.

Cost: $10+

Sausages and Bratwurst: No German market would be complete without a big lineup of sausages. The grill they are using here is the exact same style of grill we saw at Christmas markets in Germany, too.

Cost: $10

Chimney Cake: Chimney Cake is a beloved Hungarian treat, where dough is wrapped around a metal cylinder and then baked over hot coals. The inside is hollow, and can be served plain, or with nutella, strawberries, and/or whipped cream (we obviously opted for ALL the toppings!)
Cost: $10-15

Pretzel Wrapped Sausage: A noteworthy variation on the standard sausage!

Chocolate Covered Fruit on a Stick: This is a very popular Christmas market treat, where fruit is skewered and then dipped in chocolate. Usually, just one type of fruit (e.g. strawberries, blueberries) is on a single stick.

Cost: $5-7

A few other foods and treats we saw at the market included:

  • Spiralized apples with caramel sauce
  • Candied nuts

Goods for Sale

The stalls in Cullman had a combination of traditional European-style gifts and goods, as well as some more typical Southern/American things to buy. This is not a comprehensive list of everything for sale at the Cullman Christkindlmarkt, but it gives you an idea of what you can expect:

Glass ornaments
Wooden ornaments – this style of wood ornaments is very popular in Europe
Typical German-style steins
Holiday clothing and accessories
Different assorted wool hats on  a hut
Alpaca wool hats, stuffed animals, and other accessories
A green lit up paper star
Paper stars! These are a favorite German tradition. The stars are made of thick paper, have a light inside, and unfold into these charming 3D decorations.

Other Practical Information

  • Parking: Free parking in the streets around the market, and some paid lots. Parking is fairly hard to come by and you may need to circle for a while to find a spot
  • Cost: The market is free to visit
  • Money: You can pay for everything at the Cullman Market with your credit card
  • Bathrooms: There is one building with bathrooms on one side of the market.
  • How Much Time: I’d plan for several hours to experience and enjoy everything the Cullman Christkindlmarkt has to offer, as there are quite a few different activities to do, especially if you have kids. Additionally, the market is usually extremely busy and lines are quite long – we had to wait for a while to ride the carousel or train and to get food. We spent almost exactly 3 hours at the market.

Other Great Christmas Markets in the USA

Looking for more European-style markets in the United States? The Carmel Christkindlmarkt just outside of Indianapolis is insanely cute and charming. Chicago and New York City are both known for having delightful Christmas markets and events.

Leavenworth, Washington is also a great spot to visit for Christmas cheer, and even Helen, Georgia has a Christmas market event one weekend in December.

Visiting the Cullman Christmas Market – The Wrap Up

If you’re local to Cullman, I think the Christmas festivities in Cullman are very much worth visiting during December. The market is festive and has lots of delicious foods to eat and fun things to do and is a great destination during the holiday season.

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