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The Birmingham annual tree lighting will take place Dec. 2 during the event, which will have entertainment for all ages.
Photo provided by the Birmingham Shopping District
BIRMINGHAM — Birmingham will embrace the holiday season once again with its annual Winter Markt.
From Dec. 2-4, Shain Park, in downtown Birmingham, will be lit and decorated for the community to stroll through and celebrate the start of the season.
The community event will run 4-9 p.m. Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 3 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 4.
“The Winter Markt event is not only festive and nostalgic, but also features local artists, vendors, our downtown Birmingham businesses and other community groups,” Birmingham Shopping District Public Relations Specialist Erika Bassett said. “Visitors experience the magic of the holiday season with horse-drawn carriage rides, visits with Santa, marshmallow roasting and other activities while they shop for local holiday greens and decor and unique gifts.”
The Birmingham Holiday Tree Lighting will take place during the opening night of Winter Markt at 6 p.m. Dec. 2. Families can watch Birmingham’s 41-foot holiday tree light up with 40,000 LED lights. Santa and live caroling will also be at the event.
Food and beverage vendors will be featuring European cuisine to go along with the German-themed event.
The paths of Shain park will be lined with local artists, vendors, ice sculptures and other festive activities.
One of the vendors is Mackenzie Odell, of MackenzieJoan Designs, who will be returning for the fifth year. Odell specializes in calligraphy.
“So many vendors come back year after year, so the friendships that I’ve gotten to make with my booth neighbors and things like that makes it really fun, and I look forward to the event all year long,” Odell said.
Odell said she enjoys seeing people come back each year. For example, one of the main things she sells at the Winter Markt is ornaments, so some families come back year after year to get ornaments that match the ones they bought in previous years.
“This is a very family-friendly event. Visitors of all ages enjoy everything there is to do during the Winter Markt weekend,” Bassett said.
Children can play in the Kinderhaus children’s activity area, and they even have the opportunity to make a visit to Santa at the Santa House.
To take a break from the cold, there will be warming stations throughout the event.
Cartier Farms has been a vendor at every Winter Markt since it started. They can be spotted at Winter Markt with porch pots, wreaths and more.
“It is a real nice setup, not only for vendors, but for the public as well,” Fritz Czarnowski, the owner of Cartier Farms, said.
More information on the Birmingham Winter Markt can be found at ALLINBirmingham.com.
