The second year of the Christkindlmarket Naperville brought lots of visitors, food, and plenty of opportunities to shop.
“It’s so exciting,” said shopper Kelly Smith. “I can’t wait to see all the shops, looking for those mugs everyone’s walking around [with]. They look so cute. I want to have one of those.”
And for the first time, those mugs include a Naperville-centric mug.
German American Events and Naper Settlement put on the market.
The event is modeled after the Nuremberg market, which is one of the oldest Christkindlmarkets in the world.
Of the shops at the market, more than 60 percent are from Germany or German speaking countries.
Event organizers say part of the goal is to share German culture. There is even a visit from a German favorite.
“We have the Christkind, which in German speaking countries is their version of Santa Claus. She is the namesake of the market,” said Kate Bleeker, senior manager for German American Events.
More than 200,000 visitors are expected to come to the Christkindlmarket this year. The market is open Thursdays through Sundays until the week before Christmas when it opens all week ending on Christmas Eve.
Naperville News 17’s Beth Bria reports.
