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Program ~ it's FREE Thursday to Sunday, Dec. 5-8, 2013
Thursday December 5, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
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10+ |
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Early Bird Shopping, Trains |
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5:30 |
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German Alliance Brass Band (at City Hall) |
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5:30 |
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Meet at the Victoria Park entrance gateway to the clock tower (on Joseph Street at the end of Gaukel Street), bring your own lantern, purchase a lantern or pick up a free candle. Join in the carol singalong with members of the Grand Philharmonic Choir |
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| 5:45 | Witness the magic at the official lighting of Victoria Park | ||
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6:00 |
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Candlelight procession Depart from the clock tower in Victoria Park, proceed along Gaukel Street to Kitchener's City Hall Square |
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6:15 |
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Transylvania Hofbrau Band |
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6:30 |
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Official Opening Ceremonies Onstage at Kitchener City Hall Civic Square, Hallelujah Chorus by Grand Philharmonic Choir |
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| 7:00 | Gilbert & Sullivan Ensemble |
Friday December 67, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
| 10-9 | Blacksmiths (Civic Square) Trains |
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4:00 |
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5:30 |
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TBA | |
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6:30 |
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7:00 |
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Gospel Brass Band |
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| 8:00 |
Saturday December 78, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
| 9 - 9 | Blacksmiths & Trains |
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10:00 |
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Grand Philharmonic Choir | |
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11:00 |
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Grand River New Horizon Music |
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| 12:00 |
Golden Keys - Eric Offat |
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| 1:00 | German Evangelical Alliance Choir | ||
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1:00 |
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Puppet Show (indoors, 2nd floor) |
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| 2:00 | Transylvania Hofbrau Band | ||
| 2 - 5 |
RONA Kid's Workshop (indoors, 2nd floor) |
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| 3:00 | |||
| 3:30 | German Language School Concordia Choir | ||
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4:00 |
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| 5:00 | Girlfriends | ||
| 6:00 | Concordia Club Choirs & Sing-a-long, Conductor - Alfred Kunz | ||
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7:00 |
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8:00 |
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King Street Brass |
Sunday December 8, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
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10-4 |
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Blacksmiths (Civic Square all day) Trains |
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10:00 |
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Concordia Enzian Schuhplattler Dancers | |
| 10:30 | Don Edwards - Banjo/Ukele Renditions | ||
11:30 |
Zither Renditions by Ruth Lindemeir |
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12-3 |
Kinderecke - 2nd Floor, 2+ yr with parents |
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12:00 |
Transylvania Dancers |
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4:00 |
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| PLEASE NOTE: We attempt to update details on this page as soon as possible yet, all information is subject to change without notice. | |||
Every day at Christkindl Market
Live Nativity - outside on Civic Square
Kinderecke - Children's Craft Centre on Sunday in the Kaffeestube (2nd floor)
Model Railway Displays Thursday-Sunday (main floor)
Miniatures and Steam Engine (main floor)
Blacksmith Demonstrations - Fri.- Sun. on Civic Square
Organ Grinder, Klaus - throughout the event
Vendors - food and gift vendors throughout the main floor, 2nd level and the outdoor huts
Visits from Christkindl, Angels and Knecht Ruprecht
Schedule of festivities and all program information is subject to change without notice.
Most entertainment will appear on the outdoor stage. Some may appear indoors on the first or second floor. If you have any questions at all, check at the information booth located inside the front doors to Kitchener's City Hall. You may wish to bookmark this page and check back for updates. Or better yet, subscribe to our e-Newsletter.
We absolutely love it! It's been a family tradition to go to the German Christmas market at the Toronto International Centre since I was a small child back in the 70's and 80's. Now I have children of my own and we have been coming to the Kitchener Christkindl Market for the past 10 years. We stay at a nearby bed and breakfast go to the farmers market and then the Chirstkindl. It's a beautiful weekend that we look forward to all year long. I love the whole German feel. My mother was German from Darmstadt. We grew up speaking German with all the German customs and festivities. Christmas and Nikolaus Tag were our favourites. Your Christkindl still captures that traditional German feel with the products, food, childrens/adult choir and German people. The smell of the the roasted beer nuts, bratwurst, goulash soup, saurkraut, potato pancakes and blacksmith fire in the crisp, cold winter air creates a feeling in me that I cannot explain. It really makes me and my family feel wonderful and happy. With all the craziness in today's world, it's so good to know we can disappear for a weekend in the warmth and nostalgia of the Christkindl.
My husband's family is German and up until we visited the Christkindl Market a few years ago I only had stories and some samplings of the different Christmas foods from Germany from his family. Until we visited your wonderful market I never really understood the fascination my husband has always had for German Christmas. Since that first visit my husband starts planning our next visit in October! He wouldn't miss it for the world and I have come to appreciate his heritage even more through experiencing this bit of Germany in Canada! Every year we bring our teenagers and invite our friends. Thank you for all your hard work - Christmas isn't Christmas for us now without the Christkindl Market!
Think Oktoberfest, except that the beer is replaced with Christmas cheer.
My mom has taken my brother and I to the Christkindl Market ever since it first opened. We felt surrounded by love and happiness and enjoyed being around the German community - especially because we could not be with our family in Germany at Christmas. I still remember and still feel the warm feelings I first felt when I visit the Christkindl Market. I always make sure I attend each year with my Mom and now take my daughter along as well. I hope she too will be able to attend for years to come and in the future, bring her children as well.
I’m now feeling the Christmas Spirit, Thank you!
Nice to preserve our cultural heritage. We really enjoyed the train room
Santa does not have to be in a red suit The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Kitchener: My four-year-old daughter; two-year-old son, my Mom and I had gone to Christkindl on Dec 7. My son was in total rapture as he looked upon a display of moving toys. To the right of me was a lady watching my son's gazing and dreamy state. The lady took a box with the toy inside and shoved it under my arm; my reaction was no, no, no. I looked at this kind-hearted lady and she said she wanted to buy it for the little guy, and that she was going to be thinking about him on Christmas morning as he unwraps his gift from her. I want her to know Santa does not have to be in a red suit with bells on and a beard. He could also be a she, a kind and special lady.
Love the market, reminds me of my time living in Germany
Love your market!!
As the rest of the world gallops forward, there is a tradition that keeps people in Waterloo Region firmly rooted in the past, at least during Christmas. The annual four-day Christkindl Market opens Thursday in front of Kitchener City Hall, recreating a Bavarian tradition first officially recorded in 1310. The original market, called Nikolausdult, was designed as a temporary affair constructed from wood and canvas and erected in front of a church. Visitors from far and wide would arrive to both sell and purchase items, some from other countries, giving the market an international flavour. Then in a few days, it would all disappear. “It’s about tradition,” she said. “That’s what people are looking for.” The market features vendors, selling all manner of items: German-made toys, handcrafted jewelry, art glass items, gift baskets, beeswax candles, gifts, chocolate and marzipan, original art, music, leather, hand-painted wearable art, tree decorations, music boxes and everyone’s favourite, apple fritters. Christkindl Market takes over much of city hall, both inside and out, with gift vendors indoors and food outdoors on Civic Square, where they will pander to anyone with a hankering for Germanic food, including schnitzel, marinated herring and Schinken on a bun as well as the regular crowd pleasers such as sausage, potato pancakes, stollen and waffles. This is no time to go on a diet. And for those needing a rest, the 10th floor has been turned into a place to sit, relax and eat your goodies.
Love this festival - begins Christmas!
Can you please do a candlelight precession on Friday and Saturday nights too?
Wonderful Tradition!
Wonderful - An annual event for myself!
It is well organized
Wonderful! My husband is German- was like “home” for him! Visiting is becoming a yearly tradition! Thanks!
Christmas spirit ...we like to see all of the vendors. It's a wonderful event and my Christmas spirit doesn't begin until I attend your festival.
Love the Market! It’s my first time here and it’s been awesome! Thank you!
It brings back memories of Germany during the Christmas season!
We love it! It gets us in the Christmas spirit!
Ich war nur mal zu einem Christkindl Markt. Das war circa 1975 in Pforzheim im Schwarzen Wald. Ich kann mich noch nach all diesen Jahren an die wunderbaren Lichter und Aromas, so wie all die schoene Musik und die Weihnachts Stimmung, ganz gut erinnern, als wenn es gestern war. Vielen Dank dass Sie diese herrliche Tradition aus Deutschland herueber gebracht haben. Ich wuenschte wir koennten jaehrlich kommen um den Christkindl Markt zu besuchen.
Nice! I just moved back from living in Europe for 9 years, this was so nice!
Herrliche Tradition aus Deutschland - Ich war nur mal zu einem Christkindl Markt. Das war circa 1975 in Pforzheim im Schwarzen Wald. Ich kann mich noch nach all diesen Jahren an die wunderbaren Lichter und Aromas, so wie all die schoene Musik und die Weihnachts Stimmung, ganz gut erinnern, als wenn es gestern war. Vielen Dank dass Sie diese herrliche Tradition aus Deutschland herueber gebracht haben. Ich wuenschte wir koennten jaehrlich kommen um den Christkindl Markt zu besuchen.
As always, our family enjoyed the Christkindl Market so very much! Thank you for nurturing this tradition in Kitchener - we hope it keeps going for many, many years... Thank you once again for a wonderful Christmas experience our family has made part of our yearly tradition!
Excellent community spirit and great event for family. Loved the food, gluhwein, apple fritters, sauerkraut..
Love it-part of my yearly Christmas tradition!
Love it. Traditional December event we all look forward to at our house. Thanks!
Just like Germany! Love the organ grinder!
Our family has been coming to the Christkindl Market in Kitchener for five years now. We absolutely love it there. The sights, sounds and smells really put us in the Christmas spirit. This has become a very cherished part of our Christmas traditions. Three generations of our family take part in it. What a special time is had by all. Thanks for the memories...already looking forward to next year.
Ich Liebe Christkindl Markt
It is awesome! This reminds me of all of the traditional Christmas markets I saw in Germany. I loved the markets in Germany and miss them a great deal, how nice it is to relive a bit of the atmosphere here in Kitchener.
Beautiful. Love the nativity and ornaments. Everything ist wunderbar
Kindling the Christmas Spirit -I remember the first year of the Market about 10 years ago. Snow falling gently, beautiful German music playing outside, high quality Christmas goods for purchase from friendly vendors, hot-mulled cider, the nativity scene, the skaters - what atmosphere!!! The magic has hooked me ever since. So much different from the mall! Thanks for kindling the Christmas spirit.