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
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.
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.
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.
Lights are strung over the ice rink and over the stalls, which add so much ambiance at night.
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 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”
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
Carousels are always a fun activity. Cost was $3/person (parents standing next to their kids are free).
>>Igloo Domes
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
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.
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.
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:
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.