Christmas Village in Baltimore is ready to transform West Shore Park (501 Light Street) into a traditional indoor and outdoor German Christmas Market. For the new holiday season, this annual Baltimore tradition will open early with a brand-new preview weekend on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18, 2018. Christmas Village will then open regular hours for the season starting on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22nd through Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24th. During the preview, visitors are invited to catch a first glimpse at the remodeled event venue featuring not only an indoor area, but also an extended outdoor area with booths along the Inner Harbor promenade and a twenty-one-foot-tall Christmas tree right next to the PANDORA Ice Rink. The Christmas Tree, provided by Christmas Village, will be part of the new Holiday District in the Inner Harbor. The Official Tree Lighting Ceremony in partnership with Waterfront Partnership is set for the first day of the preview, on November 17th. Other exciting changes for 2018 include new beer tastings, more food, new vendors and new theme weekends.

“It’s the most wonderful time of year on the Baltimore Waterfront,” said Christmas Village Project Manager Nancy Schmalz. “Christmas Village is excited to make its return to West Shore Park - and to be part of Baltimore’s new Holiday District. We have been working hard since last year on expanding and evolving our authentic German market. The people of Baltimore deserve a world-class experience - and we are proud to provide them with this. We have a new layout, expanded footprint, new preview weekend, extended calendar, more food and new photo opportunities to debut this year. We also are proud to help organize a new Holiday District in Inner Harbor. We can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with you, Baltimore and D.C.! Let’s make some holiday memories together!”

Christmas Village is located in West Shore Park, between the Maryland Science Center and the Baltimore Visitor Center. Follow the smell of gingerbread and freshly charcoal-grilled brats to the authentic wooden huts and to the grand heated tent which features a full menu of European food, sweets, and drinks. Some specials this year include mouthwatering new addition of Raclette Cheese, plus German Schnitzel, Belgian Fries, Hofbräu Beer, and warm mulled wine. Food and drinks can be enjoyed in one of the enlarged seating areas within the heated tent or the outdoor beer garden – the Alm. Look forward to a huge food variety this year, with something for everyone!

For shopping, bring your gift lists and visit more than 50 local and international merchants offering high-quality crafted gifts. Famous German vendor Käthe Wohlfahrt will return with thousands of ornaments, pyramids and limited-edition holiday decorations. Other vendors will have something for everyone on Santa’s wish list, including toys, apparel, jewelry, decorations, home decor, artwork and much more.

Christmas Village in Baltimore’s outdoor area is always free of admission. Admission for the heated festival tent is free on the preview and the opening weekend. For Baltimore’s Dollar or Less Days, on December 8 and 9, visitors will enjoy $1 admission. For the remaining weekends, admission to the festival tent is five dollars for adults 18 and over, while kids under 18 can enter for free.

All purchased tickets act as a Holiday Season Pass, whereas visitors can return anytime throughout the season without paying admission again. “Christmas Village sees so many repeat visitors - they come for the shopping, the food, the mulled wine and the decorations,” said Schmalz. “Our Holiday Season Pass makes it easy for visitors to come back and see us. Christmas Village is a holiday tradition from my home country - where it is common to visit the market over and over again during the holidays. This tradition is one that I want to share with as many families as possible. This is our little gift to all the families and our biggest fans - plus new visitors that want more!”

Stay tuned for the full roster of food, drink and events, coming in early November. In the meantime, enjoy these 2018 season highlights, including:

Large variety of new and returning authentic food options, such as freshly grilled brats from a swivel grill made in Germany, Belgian Fries, and many more mouthwatering treats. Look for a new grill hut to debut, and don’t miss what will be one of the markets most talked about temptations - Raclette melted cheese!

Completely new event layout with vendors and food options inside the heated festival tent and around the majestic outdoor Christmas tree, plus extending down the Inner Harbor promenade.

Preview Weekend featuring the illumination of the twenty-one-foot-tall outdoor Christmas Village Tree right next to the PANDORA Ice Rink on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

Grand Opening Ceremony featuring the original German Christkind from Nuremberg, Germany on Saturday, November 24, 2018.

Mascot Weekend, on December 8 and 9, will bring not only Christmas Village’s mascot Gingy the Gingerbread man, but a large variety of other local mascots to the Inner Harbor where they will hold a parade and participate in a dance off. This is new for 2018!

New and upgraded weekday events such as Hofbräu Beer Tastings on Fridays, Wine Tastings in cooperation with Boordy Vineyards on Wednesdays, a HoHo Happy Hour, and more.

Huge variety of (kids) attractions such as the Inner Harbor’s only Santa booth, breakfast with Gingy, a photo booth and many more!

Christmas Village dates and hours for the season are listed below:

Preview Dates: November 17 and 18, 2018
First Day for Season (Starts Regular Hours): Thanksgiving, November 22, 2018
Official Opening Event: November 24, 2018
Last Day: December 24, 2018
Closed: November 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and December 3, 4 and 10, 11, 2018

Hours:
Sunday through Thursday 11:00am to 7:00pm
Friday through Saturday 11:00am to 8:00pm
Thanksgiving Day 11:00am to 5:00pm
Christmas Eve 11:00am to 5:00pm

For more information about Christmas Village, and to spread early holiday cheer, follow @bmorechristmas on Twitter and Instagram, “Like” Christmas Village in Baltimore on Facebook, and visit www.baltimore-christmas.com. Final vendor lists, food and drink menus, themed weekends, special event details and special promotions will be released on the website in mid-November.

NEW HOLIDAY DISTRICT IN INNER HARBOR

Christmas Village in Baltimore, now entering its sixth season, will serve as a lead partner on the creation of the new Holiday District. Charm City’s new Holiday District will offer shopping, entertainment, family fun and even photos with Santa for visitors from the Baltimore and D.C. metro regions. The District will span from Christmas Village in West Shore Park to down Inner Harbor to the PANDORA Ice Rink, and include nearby attractions, shopping destinations and museums.

“Waterfront Partnership is excited for Christmas Village to move their Official Christmas Tree to the Harbor Amphitheater,” said Waterfront Partnership Director of Marketing Communications Matt Shaffer. "Due to this effort, we will promote the Inner Harbor as a complete Holiday District where visitors can spend quality time during the Holiday Season.”

Come enjoy holiday sights and sounds with two Christmas trees on each end of the District, plus thousands of twinkling lights, entertainment, live music, children’s activities and gifts. Come shop for high-quality, international and local gifts and decorations. Warm up with a glass of warm mulled wine or hot chocolate while enjoying the great variety of European food and drinks. Sing along to holiday favorite tunes from around the world. Go for a spin, break the ice, spice up a date night and teach your children to glide on the ice. Bring the entire family, make memories and celebrate in Baltimore’s most festive holiday destination.

Participants in the new Holiday District include but are not limited to:

Christmas Village in Baltimore

Waterfront Partnership
PANDORA Ice Rink
Visit Baltimore
Harbor East
Port Discovery Children’s Museum
Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
Horseshoe Casino
B&O Railroad Museum

The holiday season in the Holiday District begins on November 9th at PANDORA Ice Rink by Waterfront Partnership. Next, Christmas Village then will serve up its first-ever preview weekend on Saturday, November 17th and Sunday, November 18th. Christmas Village will then open for regular season hours on Thanksgiving Day. Don’t miss one of the most popular and important days for Christmas Village on Saturday, November 24th with the Grand Opening Ceremony featuring the original Christkind from Nuremberg, Germany. Throughout December, look for special theme weekends and events, such as the brand-new Mascot Weekend, the ever-popular German American Weekend, Dollar or Less Days, Hofbräu Beer Tasting on Friday nights - and much more. The full schedule for 2018 will be released later in early November. For events at other Holiday District partners, please visit their respective individual websites.

For more information about the PANDORA Ice Rink, visit Waterfront Partnership at http://innerharboricerink.org/

ABOUT CHRISTMAS VILLAGE

The Christmas Village in Baltimore is an authentic German Christmas market, located at the Inner Harbor. It has run from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve every year since 2013. For the first time ever, Christmas Village will also be open for a Preview Weekend (Nov. 17th – Nov. 18th) in 2018. Vendors in unique wooden huts and a huge heated tent offer high-quality local and international gifts and a great variety of European food, sweets and drinks. Furthermore, many festive events and special acts are to be expected every day.