Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Christmas markets 2026: dates and opening hours
Bethlehem's two Christmas markets follow different calendars in 2026. Here are the opening blocks, daily hours and the other December dates worth knowing.
Christkindlmarkt at SteelStacks opens on 13 November 2026 and runs in six blocks until 20 December. Christmas City Village in the Sun Inn Courtyard opens Friday to Sunday from 20 November to 20 December, 11 am to 7 pm. Neither market opens every day, so choose your date from the actual opening blocks before you book anything else. Our Bethlehem, Pennsylvania travel guide sets both calendars side by side.
Christkindlmarkt at SteelStacks: the six opening blocks
Christkindlmarkt takes place on PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, with the visitor address 645 East First Street. The organiser, ArtsQuest, publishes six blocks for 2026:
November: 13 to 15, 20 to 22 and 27 to 29, each Friday to Sunday
December: 3 to 6, 10 to 13 and 17 to 20, each Thursday to Sunday
Opening hours depend on the day. On Thursdays and Sundays the market runs from 10 am to 6 pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 8 pm. Thursday opening applies only to the three December blocks, so there is no Thursday market in November. Outside these blocks the market is closed, which matters if you are planning a midweek trip.
The listed hours are market hours. Individual activities, such as St. Nicholas visits or a glassmaking session, can end earlier than the market itself.
Christmas City Village in the historic district
The second market has a very different setting: wooden stalls in the Sun Inn Courtyard, a short walk from Main Street. The current city events calendar lists 20 November to 20 December 2026, Friday to Sunday, from 11 am to 7 pm. There is no regular Thursday opening here. Admission is free, which makes the Village an easy start to an afternoon in the historic district.
The guide notes that some older Village listings online mix information from different years. The 2026 dates above follow the current event series and the city calendar.
Which days have both markets open?
Both markets open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 20 November and 20 December, which gives you five shared weekends. Even then, the hours differ. The Village opens an hour later and closes at 7 pm, while Christkindlmarkt closes at 6 pm on Sundays and 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
The two sites sit on different sides of town. Treat the move between them as a real journey by LANTA bus or car, with time for the stop, the walk and finding the entrance. On a short visit, one district per day is often the calmer choice.
Other dates worth knowing
Free Friday evenings: Christkindlmarkt is free to enter from 5 to 8 pm on open Fridays: 13, 20 and 27 November, and 4, 11 and 18 December.
Live Advent Calendar: daily from 1 to 23 December at 5:30 pm in the Sun Inn Courtyard. It is free and lasts around 10 to 15 minutes.
Christmas Putz: the narrated Nativity at Central Moravian Church opens for the season on 27 November.
Pop-Up Artist Markets: 5 and 6 December at the Creative Factory, 10 am to 4 pm, and 20 December in Winter Wonderland, 10 am to 6 pm.
St. Nicholas: visiting hours on open market days run until 5 pm on Thursdays and Sundays, and until 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
20 December is the final day for both markets. Events that continue afterwards, such as the Advent Calendar until 23 December or the Putz between Christmas and New Year, do not extend the market season.
Frequently asked questions
Is Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem open on weekdays?
Only on Fridays within the opening blocks and on Thursdays in December (3, 10 and 17 December). It does not open on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
When does the Bethlehem Christmas market end in 2026?
Both Christkindlmarkt and Christmas City Village publish Sunday 20 December 2026 as their final market day.
Are the hours the same at both markets?
No. The Village opens from 11 am to 7 pm on its days. Christkindlmarkt opens at 10 am and closes at 6 pm on Thursdays and Sundays, or 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Research status: 29 October 2026. Dates, times and prices are planning information and can change, so check the official organiser and venue sources before you travel.
