The magic of the holiday season comes to life with the award-winning 9 th annual Kriskindlmarkt, a
traditional outdoor European-style market, occurring in downtown Sparta, WI for 4 consecutive weekends. 2023 dates are November 24 (opening at 2:00 PM) and 25, December 1 and 2, December 8 and 9, and December 15 and Friday hours are 4-8 PM; Saturday hours are 9 AM-8PM.
The sights, smells, and sounds of the season fill the air throughout Sparta’s downtown Water Street, Mueller Square, Creekside Village and the newly added Love Lock Village with the addition of 5 new huts. Holiday shopping, traditional German foods, cinnamon glazed roasted nuts, holiday cookies and bake sale treats, hot apple cider, beer and glühwein, and live entertainment can be found throughout the four weekends. Local artisan crafters, nonprofit organizations, and service groups staff the chalet-style huts that make up the Kriskindlmarkt. With over 70 vendors that change daily –they provide a wide variety of holiday shopping opportunities.
In addition to the permanent huts in Mueller Square, the five temporary huts directly across the street on the Water Street Bridge, the six huts in the lower market area known as Creekside, the three permanent huts, the double-sided food kiosk which will house the ever-popular Döner Kabob brought to you by the Sparta Lions Club, and Community Hunger Solutions with their sales of fine soups, sandwiches and sodas. The Sausage Hut, returns with their variety of German sausages and wieners to appeal to adults and kids alike. Newly added to Creekside, you will find the Bier Hausl, which will offer an inviting atmosphere full of different German Bier, gluhwien, cider, and water. Take a stroll over the Love Luck Bridge to find yourself in this new village and home to the crepe house being brought to you by the Sparta Area School District SAILS class and Friends of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Down by the water the Sparta Weekend Backpack Program will have available s’mores to purchase and to make on-site.
There will plenty to see and do this holiday season. With all of these additions, the market has more than doubled its size, which has drawn increasingly larger numbers of attendees since its debut in 2015. An opening celebration of the market will take place on Friday, November 24 beginning at 2:00 PM with a ribbon cutting to celebrate. Everyone is invited!
Entertainment will be ongoing throughout the event. The Sparta Area Theatre and Arts Guilt (SATAG) will be caroling and appearing as “The Silent Monks” performing two holiday classics each Friday and Saturday at 7 PM in the upper market. The Sparta High School Vocal Jazz ensemble will be on stage December 15 at 6:00 PM . Horse drawn wagon rides will return for the first two weekends from 4-8 PM and will take folks through downtown to view decorated storefronts. There is no cost to ride the wagon, but donations are encouraged. Grab a festive picture on the stage in Mueller Square thanks to Pica Grove. Be sure to get your fresh wreath made by the Montessori School on Saturday, November 25. Watch the Sparta Kriskindlmarkt Facebook page for vendor listings, and the times for Santa, the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, and Max.
Information about the Christmas Market, Holiday Parade, Lights in the Park, CP Holiday Train and other holiday events can be found on the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce website: http://www.bikesparta.com or across our social media platforms.
The Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce with the City of Sparta, the Sparta Rotarians, the Lions Club of Sparta, Kiwanis of Sparta, the Sparta Free Library, Monroe County Local History Room, Park Bank, BEER Shop, Dub’s Sausage, Ben Grams American Family, The Five Shovelmen, Weldco, Sparta Soda Works, Wesco Home,Pica Grove, Little Creek Ranch, Church of Birch, the Holiday Lights Group, and the market volunteers are all dedicated to fostering community prosperity and improving the quality of life through cooperation, promotion, education and active leadership, as well as enhancing economic benefits and providing networking opportunities for members.
Our Mission: “Welcoming Businesses, Unifying the Community, Creating Possibilities”
For more information on the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce’s services, activities and programs, please visit: http://www.bikesparta.com/ or call (608) 269-4123.
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