PA Fairs and Festivals

Mifflinburg Christkindl Market | German Yuletide Magic in PA

Exploring the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Union County Pennsylvania.

If you’re looking for information about attending the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Union County, you’re in the right place!

Large festive nutcracker statue positioned in front of a white historic building with two individuals posing beside it, under a clear blue sky at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. — A traditional German nutcracker.

The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market is billed as “the oldest authentic outdoor German Christmas market in the United States”.

Crowded scene of visitors enjoying the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, with a decorative windmill, "Happy Holidays" sign, white church steeple in the background, and people mingling under a clear blue sky. — Christkindl Market takes place on Market and Fifth streets in downtown Mifflinburg.

This vibrant 3-day celebration of the Christmas season features authentic German food and drinks, live performances, and more than 100 arts and crafts vendors set up in outdoor huts in the heart of Mifflinburg.

Performers in traditional German attire dancing in front of a stage with a scenic backdrop, while onlookers watch and enjoy at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, with residential buildings in the background under a clear sky. — Traditional German dancers at Christkindl Market.

The tradition of a German “Christkindlmarkt”, or Christ Child Market, dates back more than 700 years, when German craftsmen and food vendors first began setting up their wares near churches at Christmastime.

Informational poster about the 'Christkindl Child' with descriptive text and an illustration, detailing its role as a gift-bringer and its evolution in German and American Christmas traditions, displayed at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market. — History of the Christkindl Child tradition.

Mifflinburg’s version of the event began in 1989, bringing a piece of German tradition to the heart of central Pennsylvania.

Outdoor nativity scene at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market, featuring live sheep and donkeys in front of a red brick church, with wooden cutouts depicting Bethlehem buildings. — Live animals in a Nativity scene in downtown Mifflinburg.

Dates | Hours | Directions

The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market always starts on the first Thursday of December – in 2023 the dates are December 14th – 16th.

Crowded pathway at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market with visitors browsing stalls, a tall church steeple in the background, and autumn trees lining the scene under a partly cloudy sky. — Mifflinburg Christkindl Market takes place December 14th-16th in 2023.

The hours for the event are: Thursday 4:30pm – 9pm • Friday 10am – 9pm • Saturday 10am – 8pm.

Young girl standing between two decorative wooden Christmas trees with a historic red-bricked building in the background, at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market during daytime. — Festive holiday decorations at the Mifflinburg Christmas market.

Admission to the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market is free; donations (which help defray the cost of producing the Market) are accepted at the entrances to the event.

A reindeer being guided by an individual, with onlookers admiring, near a decorative snowy backdrop and rustic buildings at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. — Photo-op with a reindeer.

Parking in downtown Mifflinburg is scarce during the event; attendees are encouraged to use the shuttle busses offered from both the east and west sides of town.

Passengers seated inside a shuttle bus, with sunlight streaming through the windows, while heading to or from the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. — The shuttle busses are a convenient way to get to and from the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.

Shuttle bus service is available from Christ’s United Lutheran Church (Four Bells Church), Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren, and Buffalo Valley Produce Auction Inc (see map below for directions to each).

What You’ll See at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market

At the heart of the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market are the rows of wooden vendor huts, each showcasing an abundance of traditional German crafts and gifts.

Crowded street at Mifflinburg Christkindl Market with visitors exploring wooden stalls, under a clear blue sky with historic homes in the background and leafless trees overhead in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania — Expect big crowds if attending the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.

Examples of intricate woodwork and fine German craftsmanship catch the eye at every turn.

Elaborate wooden cuckoo clock with deer head adornment and intricate carvings, priced at $508.30, displayed at a stall at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market, with other clocks in the background and a shopper perusing items. — German cuckoo clocks.

As you peruse the vendor huts, you’ll find artisans who are more than happy to share the history behind their creations.

An artist's booth illuminated with fairy lights at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, showcasing framed artworks on the wall, with a seated female artist and a male visitor wearing a red jacket observing the pieces. — Fine art for sale at Christkindl Market.

For some, the traditional German food and drinks are the highlight of Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.

Crowds of visitors exploring the lively Mifflinburg Christkindl Market, with a prominent sign for 'The Original Strudel Factory' amidst stalls, under a clear blue sky in Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. — German foods are plentiful in the Market.

Glühwein, a spiced mulled wine served warm, is a crowd favorite at the Market.

Crowd of visitors at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market under a 'Happy Holidays' sign, with a direction sign to the 'Christkindl Pub' serving 'Glühwein & Bier' in the background, indicating a festive and bustling holiday atmosphere. — Traditional German beverages for sale at Mifflinburg Christkindl Market.

Informational signage throughout the Market educates visitors as to the origins of various traditions and displays.

Informational sign explaining the history of the Christmas Pyramid, a traditional German festive decoration, adorned with a simple illustration and surrounded by a festive green garland with red berries. — Origins of the Christmas Pyramid tradition.

A 15 foot-tall Christmas Pyramid, considered the signature image of the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market, graces the central square of the event each year.

Young girl standing in front of a large Christmas pyramid adorned with figurines and candles, with a rotating windmill top, surrounded by visitors at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market under a blue sky. — The Christmas Pyramid.

Final Thoughts

The Mifflinburg Christkindl Market is more than just another Christmas festival; it is a journey back in time and a celebration of the heritage German immigrants brought with them to central Pennsylvania.

A visitor standing beside a colorful life-size cutout of the Christkindl angel, holding a Christmas tree and a butterfly, with an informational poster about the Christkindl Child in the background, at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Pennsylvania. — A colorful life-size cutout of the Christkindl Child.

For those who have yet to experience this wonderful event, it offers a holiday experience you simply can’t find anywhere else.

Crowded scene at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market with a figure dressed as Saint Nicholas holding a staff, while attendees mingle and browse stalls under a clear blue sky. — Saint Nicholas mingling with the crowd.

If you want to immerse yourself in the enchantment of a traditional German Christmas without leaving Pennsylvania this year, make it a point to attend the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Union County!

Young girl standing beside entrance to the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market, with wooden nutcracker decorations, market stalls, and visitors in the background under a clear sky. — Entrance to the market.

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If you love all things Pennsylvania German, be sure to check out the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster.

A collage of four images showcasing various scenes from the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The top left photo displays a historic red brick house with a white picket fence. The top right photo features a woman in traditional attire cooking in a colonial fireplace kitchen. The bottom left image shows an exhibit of antique farming equipment and machinery. The bottom right image captures a rustic wooden log cabin beside a fenced-in garden with thriving plants. Each scene reflects the museum's dedication to preserving Pennsylvania's rural German heritage. — Scenes from the Landis Valley Museum.

The Landis Valley Museum is a living history museum that offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of Pennsylvania Germans from 1740 to 1940.

Exhibition on 'Barn Stars' at the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, explaining the significance of geometric star designs on traditional barns. — Barn Star exhibit at the Landis Valley Museum.

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